Lorinda Dono had no family history of diabetes so she was shocked when it surfaced during pregnancy.  It forced her to watch what she ate and she kept a close eye on her blood sugar, 10TV's Andrea Cambern reported.

"You have to plan every meal, every snack (and) make sure you have your meter with you to prick your finger wherever you go," Dono said.

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She is not alone.  The number of cases of gestational diabetes is on the rise, affecting as many as 14 percent of all pregnancies in the U.S.  It can lead to larger babies, more complicated deliveries and long-term health problems.

"We know that newborns that are large for birth or obese at birth are at substantial risk for obesity and diabetes later in life," said Dr. Mark Landon of The Ohio State University Medical Center.

Landon's study proved treating even mild cases of gestational diabetes with diet therapy and blood sugar monitoring can have significant results.   It was affective in over 50 percent of the women in the study.

"Our study demonstrates that the same aggressive approach that we give to women with more significant diabetes should be extended to women even with milder forms of this condition," Landon said.

As was the situation for Dono, most cases of gestational diabetes go away after pregnancy.  However, women diagnosed with the condition during pregnancy run a higher risk of developing adult onset diabetes later in life.

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