A National Institute of Health study is the first to test whether treating even the mildest cases of gestational diabetes is beneficial.
The results of the study, published in this months New England Journal of Medicine, find that treatment can reduce common birth complications as well as the risk of blood pressure disorders among mothers.
Researchers say mothers with pregnancy-induced blood sugar control problems who receive treatment are half as likely to have an unusually large baby, compared to women with the disorder who are not treated.
In addition, mothers who are treated were less likely to give birth by cesarean section or to develop high blood pressure or potentially life-threatening preeclampsia.
“The study results show conclusively that both mothers and infants do better when gestational diabetes is controlled,” said the studys co-author Catherine Spong.
In most cases, gestational diabetes can be controlled naturally by lowering blood sugar levels through proper diet and exercise. Avoiding excess weight gain during pregnancy can also lower the risk of developing the condition.
Gestational diabetes is believed to affect as many as 14 percent of pregnancies in the U.S. 