- βWomen with gestational diabetes who used real-time CGM were significantly less likely to deliver a large-for-gestational-age baby compared to those using traditional finger-stick blood sugar checks.
| Journal | The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology |
| Year | 2026 |
| Authors | Linder, Dressler-Steinbach, Wegener |
| PMID | 41308662 |
| DOI | 10.1016/S2213-8587(25)00288-8 |
What This Study Found
A large clinical trial called GRACE found that women with gestational diabetes who wore a real-time continuous glucose monitor (CGM) were much less likely to deliver an oversized baby than women who used traditional finger-stick blood sugar testing. Only 4% of CGM users had a large-for-gestational-age (LGA) baby, compared to 10% of women using standard monitoring. The difference was statistically significant, meaning it is unlikely to be due to chance.
Why This Matters for Your Pregnancy
Gestational diabetes is a type of high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy. One of the biggest concerns with gestational diabetes is that too much glucose can pass to the baby, causing it to grow too large β a condition called large-for-gestational-age, or LGA. LGA babies are associated with a harder delivery, higher rates of C-section, and a greater risk of low blood sugar in the newborn after birth.
Traditional management relies on checking your blood sugar several times a day using a finger-stick lancet and glucose meter. You get a snapshot reading at that moment, but nothing in between. A real-time CGM device sits on your skin and checks your glucose levels continuously β often every few minutes β and alerts you when levels are rising or falling too quickly.
This study showed that the extra information a CGM provides can make a real difference in pregnancy outcomes.
About the Study
The GRACE trial was a well-designed randomised controlled trial β considered the gold standard in medical research. Researchers across hospitals in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland enrolled 375 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Half were given a real-time CGM (Dexcom) to wear until delivery. The other half used standard finger-stick blood glucose monitoring. Women were assigned to each group randomly to keep the comparison fair.
The main question researchers asked was: does CGM reduce the number of LGA babies? The answer was yes β and by a meaningful amount. The odds of delivering an LGA baby were 68% lower in the CGM group.
An Important Caution
The study also found a higher-than-expected number of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) babies in the CGM group β 19% versus 13% in the finger-stick group. This difference was not statistically significant, but researchers noted it may be related to tighter blood sugar control in CGM users. This is an area that needs more research. If you use CGM during pregnancy, staying in close contact with your care team is essential so they can monitor your baby's growth and adjust your targets if needed.
What This Means Practically
- Real-time CGM may be a valuable tool if you have gestational diabetes.
- Ask your doctor or midwife whether CGM is right for your situation.
- More glucose data can help you and your care team make quicker, smarter decisions about food, activity, and medication.
- CGM is not a replacement for regular prenatal check-ups and professional guidance.
How MDS Diabetes Can Help
If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, MDS Diabetes carries a range of CGM supplies and blood glucose monitoring products to support you through every stage of your pregnancy. Visit mdsdiabetes.com to explore options and speak with our team about what might work best for you.
Full Citation
Linder, Dressler-Steinbach, Wegener (2026). Glycaemic control and pregnancy outcomes with real-time continuous glucose monitoring in gestational diabetes (GRACE): an open-label, multicentre, multinational, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. Diabetes & Endocrinology. PMID: 41308662. DOI: 10.1016/S2213-8587(25)00288-8