Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) refers to hyperglycemia initially occurring during pregnancy and usually resolving after delivery.1,2 Women with GDM have a higher risk for adverse obstetric outcomes and an increased risk for developing type-2 diabetes (T2DM) compared to women without GDM.2., 3., 4., 5., 6., 7.

There is currently no international consensus regarding the screening approach for GDM.8,9 This refers to the glucose dose recommended, timing of testing and cutoffs proposed.3,4,10., 11., 12., 13. The prevalence of GDM varies accordingly, thus challenging the comparability of different studies.14

Using the more “lenient” criteria for the diagnosis of GDM captures a larger proportion of the pregnant population yet leads to the inclusion of many women with a relatively low risk of future diabetes.

Israel's Arab population is the largest minority in Israel, consisting 21 % of the Israeli society. Similar to what has been observed in Arab countries,15,16 the Arab population in Israel has a notably high prevalence of diabetes, particularly among women.17,18 This higher risk persists after adjustment to risk factors including socio-economics status, education, BMI and caloric intake.19,20

A recent study has demonstrated a higher rate of GDM in Arab Israeli women compared to Jewish women [4.1 % vs. 1.6 %]. However, the increased risk was rendered insignificant when adjusted for BMI.21

While GDM is a risk factor for future DM, whether this risk differs by race is unknown. In this study, we report an extended follow up of Israeli women undergoing an oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) screening for GDM. We aimed to characterize those at highest risk for future diabetes by focusing on traditional risk factors as well as the results of the oGTT. Furthermore, we analyzed the impact of ethnicity on the risk of future diabetes.