Background: Diabetes accompanies over 8% of all pregnancies. It is associated with increased risk of complications of pregnancy and prenatal mortality. This study was conducted to determine the disadvantages of gestational diabetes on mother and new born in order to prevent neonatal and marital unpleasant outcomes.

Material and Methods: The present historical cohort study includes 420 mothers referring to Shiraz hospitals in 2006. Seventy cases were suffering from gestational diabetes. Data were pooled by questionnaires and analyzed by t-test and fisher exact tests in SPSS.

Results: The recurrence rate of gestational diabetes was 72.4%. There was a significant difference between the two groups in dead fetus (RR= 8.87), macrosommia (RR= 7.38), respiratory distress (RR= 5.16), hypoglycemia (RR= 13.38), neonatal jaundice (RR= 3.28), need to respiratory rehabilitation (RR= 3.17), anomalies (RR= 7.28) and cesarean delivery (RR= 1.96) (p<0.05). However, no statistical difference was appeared in intrauterine growth retardation, shoulder dystocia , breach labor, need to insulin, meconium problems, induction of labor, episiotomy and placenta disorders (P>0.05).

Conclusion: T his study showed that dead fetus, macrosomia, respiratory distress, hypoglycemia, and neonatal jaundice are more common in women with gestational diabetes than in other women. There fore, diabetes preventive practices are especially essential in pregnant women because of the unfavorable effects on labor and newborn baby.