Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) were at very high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and had a significantly increased incidence of hypertension and ischemic heart disease (IHD), suggested a new study published in PLOS Medicine. The retrospective cohort study found that women with GDM were nearly 22 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, in an adjusted model (adjusted incidence rate ratio 21.96). The risks for hypertension and IHD were also significantly increased among women who previously experienced GDM.