Lifestyle interventions—including healthy eating, physical activity, and self-monitoring of blood sugar levels—are helpful for women with gestational diabetes and their babies, according to a recent Cochrane review of 15 studies involving >4,500 women and >3,700 infants.

Among the findings for infants:

• Lifestyle interventions were linked with reduced risk of being born large-for-gestational age.
• Fewer babies in lifestyle intervention groups had birthweight over 4,000 g.
• There was no difference in the number of newborn babies experiencing low blood glucose levels.
• Birthweight was lower in the lifestyle intervention group.

Among the findings for mothers:

• Introducing lifestyle interventions made no difference in the number of women with pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, having a C-section, or labor induction.
• Similar numbers experienced perineal trauma/tearing or developed diabetes at up to 10 years after giving birth.
• More women in the lifestyle group met weight goals 1 year after giving birth, and interventions were linked with lower depression risk.