Ratios for P∼p42/44mapk/p42/44mapk (Fig. 4a) and P∼Akt/Akt (Fig. 4b) in presence of basal levels of insulin were lower in GDM compared with normal pregnancies, an effect less pronounced for P∼Akt/Akt compared with P∼p42/44mapk/p42/44mapk. Here, AKT1 is linked to gestational diabetes.