Promotion of a healthy lifestyle in women with a history of gestational diabetes

The prevalence of gestational diabetes (GDM) increases worldwide with rates between 9-35%, posing challenges to maintain high-quality care in the management of GDM. A valuable solution to cope with this increasing burden could be the organization of group education. In this research project, we will analyze the collected data of a prospective observational cohort study with the aim to evaluate women’s satisfaction about (group) education, their knowledge about GDM and their emotional status (the ELENA study).

Moreover, GDM might be the best well-known predictor for subsequent development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), as it is estimated that approximately one-third of women with T2DM may have had previous GDM. Recent research conducted at UZ Leuven has shown that 42% of women with GDM, diagnosed on the basis of the 2013 WHO criteria, experienced glucose intolerance in early postpartum. The goal of this research is to further investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for glucose intolerance and T2DM in early postpartum.

Literature has established that lifestyle modifications are effective in the prevention of diabetes when offered to high risk middle-age individuals, but there is limited evidence regarding the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in women with recent GDM. We will therefore conduct a randomized controlled trial with 1 year of follow-up to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of a telephone and mobile-based lifestyle intervention in women with glucose intolerance after a recent history of GDM to promote a healthy lifestyle (the MELINDA study).