Does gestational diabetes go away after birth?
Usually, yes: blood sugar goes back to normal after the birth. But some people had diabetes before pregnancy without knowing it, so ACOG and the ADA advise a blood sugar test 4 to 12 weeks after the birth. After that, the ADA advises a test every 1 to 3 years for life, because the risk of type 2 diabetes stays higher.
Right after the birth
Pregnancy makes the body resist insulin, and that resistance falls sharply right after the birth.1 NICE advises stopping blood sugar medicine for gestational diabetes immediately after the birth.2
Why you still need a test
Some people who are diagnosed in pregnancy had mild diabetes before and did not know it; for them it does not go away.3 ACOG says about one in three people who had gestational diabetes have diabetes or a milder rise in blood sugar soon after the birth.3
| Guideline | The first test after birth | After that |
|---|---|---|
| ADA 20261 | A 75-gram glucose tolerance test at 4 to 12 weeks | A test every 1 to 3 years, for life |
| ACOG3 | A blood test at 4 to 12 weeks | If normal, a test every 1 to 3 years |
| NICE (UK)2 | A fasting blood sugar test at 6 to 13 weeks (often at the 6-week check), or an HbA1c test after 13 weeks | An HbA1c test every year |
Put the test in your calendar before you leave the hospital. In the newborn weeks it is easy to miss.
The later risk
The CDC says about half of women with gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes.4 ACOG gives a range of 15 to 70 percent.3 The numbers differ because studies follow people for different lengths of time, but every source agrees on regular tests.
What lowers the risk
- Breastfeeding. The ADA recommends it after gestational diabetes, partly because it lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes later.1
- Food, activity and weight. NICE advises lifestyle advice on weight, food and exercise after the birth.2 If a later test shows prediabetes, the ADA advises an intensive lifestyle program, metformin, or both, for people with overweight.1
- Ask how often to test. The CDC advises asking your doctor how often to have your blood sugar checked.4
In your next pregnancy
Gestational diabetes in a past pregnancy raises the risk of having it again.4 NICE advises early blood sugar checks or an early glucose test in the next pregnancy.2 In a trial of people with overweight and past gestational diabetes, losing weight before the next pregnancy, especially 5 percent or more, was linked with a lower chance of it coming back.1
Questions
Does gestational diabetes go away after birth?
Usually, yes. But about one in three people have diabetes or a milder rise in blood sugar soon after the birth, so a test at 4 to 12 weeks is advised.
Do I keep checking my blood sugar after birth?
Ask your team. NICE advises stopping blood sugar medicine right after the birth; the follow-up test some weeks later tells you where you stand.
How often should I be tested later?
The ADA advises a test every 1 to 3 years for life. NICE in the UK advises an HbA1c test every year.
Will I get gestational diabetes again?
The risk is higher after having it once. Ask for early checks in your next pregnancy.
Sources
- American Diabetes Association. 15. Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Diabetes Care 2026;49(Suppl. 1):S321. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12690181/
- NICE guideline NG3. Diabetes in pregnancy: management from preconception to the postnatal period (recommendations). https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng3/chapter/Recommendations
- ACOG. Gestational Diabetes (FAQ 177, reviewed April 2026). https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/gestational-diabetes
- CDC. Gestational Diabetes. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/about/gestational-diabetes.html
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