What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is diabetes mellitus that develops in women for the first time during pregnancy. Some women found to have gestational diabetes may actually have had mild diabetes before pregnancy that was not diagnosed.
What is diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes mellitus (also called “diabetes”) is a condition that causes high levels of glucose in the blood (see the FAQ Diabetes and Women). Glucose is a sugar that is the body’s main source of energy. Health problems can occur when glucose levels are too high.
What causes gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is caused by a change in the way a woman’s body responds to insulin during pregnancy. Insulin is a hormone. It moves glucose out of the blood and into the body’s cells where it can be turned into energy. During pregnancy, a woman’s cells naturally become slightly more resistant to insulin’s effects. This change is designed to increase the mother’s blood glucose level to make more nutrients available to the baby. The mother’s body makes more insulin to keep the blood glucose level normal. In a small number of women, even this increase is not enough to keep their blood glucose levels in the normal range. As a result, they develop gestational diabetes.
If I develop gestational diabetes, will I always have diabetes mellitus?
For most women, gestational diabetes goes away after childbirth. However, they remain at high risk of having diabetes later in life. For women who had mild diabetes before pregnancy, it is a lifelong condition.
Who is at risk of gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is more likely to occur in women who:
- are over 25 years old.
- are overweight.
- have had gestational diabetes before.
- have had a very large baby.
- have a close relative with diabetes.
- have had a stillbirth in a previous pregnancy.
How can gestational diabetes affect pregnancy?
Gestational diabetes increases the risk of having a very large baby (a condition called macrosomia) and possible cesarean delivery. High blood pressure and preeclampsia are more common in women with gestational diabetes.
What are the risks to babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes?
Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes may have problems with breathing, low glucose levels, and jaundice. With proper prenatal care and careful control of glucose levels, the risk of these problems decreases.
What are the long-term effects of gestational diabetes for both mothers and babies?
Women who have had gestational diabetes are at higher risk of having diabetes in the future, as are their children. Women with gestational diabetes will need to have regular diabetes testing after pregnancy. Their children also will need to be monitored for diabetes risks.
If I have gestational diabetes, how can I control it?
If you have gestational diabetes, you will need to keep your blood glucose level under control. Controlling your blood glucose level may require daily tracking of your glucose level, eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, and sometimes, taking medications.
If I have gestational diabetes, will I have to take medication?
Gestational diabetes often can be controlled with diet and exercise. If diet and exercise are not enough, medication may be needed to control your blood glucose level. Some women may take oral medications; others may need insulin.
Will gestational diabetes affect the delivery of my baby?
Most women with gestational diabetes are able to have a vaginal birth but are more likely to have a cesarean delivery than women without diabetes to prevent delivery problems. Labor also may be induced (started by drugs or other means) earlier than the due date.
If I had gestational diabetes, is there anything I should do after my pregnancy?
You should have a glucose tolerance test 6–12 weeks after the birth. If the result after the birth is normal, you should be checked for diabetes every 3 years. Your child should also be checked throughout childhood for various risk factors for diabetes, such as obesity.