Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. Diabetes is when your blood glucose level is too high. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, between three and eight percent of pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes.

Although the exact cause of gestational diabetes is not known, there are some theories. One is that hormones found in the placenta to help the baby grow block insulin from working in the mother. This creates insulin resistance. The mother’s body is not able to make and use the insulin it needs and blood glucose levels rise.

Who is at Risk to Develop Gestational Diabetes?

Any woman that is pregnant is at risk for developing gestational diabetes, however, there are some risk factors that increase the chances of developing this condition. If you have any of the following risk factors, talk with your doctor about regular screenings to help keep you, and your baby, healthy.

Age: Women over the age of 25 are at higher risk.

Previous gestational diabetes: Women who have been diagnosed with this condition during previous pregnancies are at a higher risk of developing it again.

Being overweight: Women who are overweight before becoming pregnant have a higher chance of developing gestational diabetes.

Ethniticity: Women who are black, Hispanic or American Indian are at a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes than women of other races.

Previous complications of pregnancy: Certain problems in previous pregnancies can put you at a higher risk for developing this condition. Some of these problems include unexplained stillbirth or births of children over 9 pounds.

If you have any of these risk factors, your health provider will include routine screening in the course of your prenatal care.

The Impact of Gestational Diabetes on Your Baby

Gestational diabetes normally occurs late in pregnancy. By the time a pregnant woman has developed this condition, the fetus’s body has been formed, therefore, it does not cause birth defects. When a woman has had diabetes prior to becoming pregnant, there is a higher risk of birth defects.