Objective To evaluate the effect of household-based health management model on community patients with gestational diabetes.Methods Eighty-four singleton pregnant women with diabetes who visited New City Community Healthcare Center of Zaozhuang Municipal Hospital from January 2009 to December 2012 were randomly assigned to the management group (n =42) and the control group (n =42).The pregnant women in the management group accepted household-based health management,and the pregnant women in the control group accepted conventional health education,intervention,and followup.Blood glucose,lipid profiles,blood pressure,body mass index (BMI) and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups.Results There were no significant different of clinical characteristics between the two groups at baseline.Right before delivery,fasting plasma glucose,2 h postprandial blood glucose,blood pressure,childbirth BMI,pregnancy weight gain,total cholesterol,triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of the management group were significantly lower than those of the control group (t values were 5.81,2.28,3.14,2.41,5.17,4.97,7.81,2.39 and 3.39,respectively; all P ＜0.05),however high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was relatively higher (t =2.02,P ＜ 0.05).Polyhydramnios,premature rupture of membranes,hypertensive disorders in pregnancy,natural labour,cesarean section,fetal macrosomia and neonatal hypoglycemia were found significantly different between the two groups (x2 values were 4.61,4.48,4.48,4.94,4.27,4.48 and 4.76,respectively; all P ＜ 0.05).Health behavior of the management group was significantly improved following the intervention (for balanced diet,regular exercise,proper medication,standardized monitoring,timely referral,high and low blood sugar treatment and emotional management,x2 values were 5.61,4.76,5.27,5.73,4.48,5.19 and 4.20,respectively; all P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Household-based health management could improve health behavior,metabolic status and maternal or neonatal outcomes of community patients with gestational diabetes.