<p>Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications during pregnancy and can severely impair fetal neurodevelopment, leading to abnormalities in emotional, cognitive, and memory functions. However, the precise mechanisms by which GDM affects fetal neural development remain incompletely understood, which is closely associated with the lack of animal models that accurately replicate the key clinical and pathological features of human GDM. Therefore, this review summarizes and evaluates current methodologies for establishing GDM animal models, elucidates the impact of GDM on offspring neurodevelopment and its potential underlying mechanisms, and provides a theoretical foundation for developing and assessing appropriate GDM animal models, clarifying the pathophysiological mechanisms of GDM, and exploring innovative therapeutic strategies.</p>