Between 12% and 14% of pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes, and it’s previously been believed that once the pregnancy finishes, the diabetes will go away. But new research is showing that women who suffer from gestational diabetes are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes, hypertension or high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. And what’s more, rates of gestational diabetes have almost doubled in the last decade.

Tess chatted with dietician and Clinical Trials Manager at the University Clinic & Research Centre at Blacktown, Allison Sigmund to find out what the risk factors are, how the disease can impact babies born to diabetic mothers, and how mothers can minimise their risk in the first place.