The proceedings of the diabetes in pregnancy study group of North America 2009 conference.

The DPSG of North America (DPSG-NA) was inaugurated in 1997, and its initial meeting was commenced in San Antonio, Texas, in 1998. Since then, the DPSG-NA has held annual meetings, which are hosted by the home institution of members of the organizing committee on a rotating basis. This yeas, the DPSG-NA held its 11 annual meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, and focused on the major controversies regarding the detection, diagnosis, and management of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). It included the latest information on the maternal and fetal consequences of GDM as well as summaries from the HAPO study, the Australian Carbohydrate Intolerance Study (ACHOIS) in pregnant women, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Maternal Fetal Medicine (NICHD MFMU Network) study. In addition, extensive data were presented on the effectiveness of oral antihyperglycemic agents in managing GDM as well as data from studies examining their transfer across the placenta and effects on the fetus. Strategies for managing hypertensive disorders associated with GDM were also presented. Based on this year's presentations, the DPSG-NA coordinating committee has made recommendations on the screening and management of GDM and priorities for future research.