Fetal macrosomia, defined as a birth weight ≥ 4,000 g, may affect 12% of newborns of normal women and 15-45% of newborns of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The increased risk of macrosomia in GDM is mainly due to the increased insulin resistance of the mother. In GDM, a higher amount of blood glucose passes through the placenta into the fetal circulation. As a result, extra glucose in the fetus is stored as body fat causing macrosomia, which is also called 'large for gestational age'. This paper reviews studies that explored the impact of GDM and fetal macrosomia as well as macrosomia-related complications on birth outcomes and offers an evaluation of maternal and fetal health.

Epidemiology and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, e.g., Munich Blood Pressure Study and Program, worldwide WHO MONICA project, PI MONICA Augsburg. Europe wide EUROASPIRE I, II, III project, member of the SCORE project. Medical studies at the universities of Giessen, Kiel and Heidelberg Training in internal medicine at Enköping`s Hospital in Sweden (1970 1971) and at Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, 1974-1977.Studies in Epidemiology and Public Health at UCLA (MPH 1972) and UNC -Chapel Hill (PhD 1980)