Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes develops in about 3% - 5% of all pregnant women. It is different from type 1 diabetes where the body produces no insulin and insulin must be injected and type 2 diabetes, where the body suffers from varying levels of insulin resistance and can be controlled through diet and exercise, with oral medication or with insulin injections.

Gestational diabetes usually develops about midway through a pregnancy at about 20 to 24 weeks and is caused by the changes in hormones in your body during pregnancy. For most women there are no recognizable symptoms. However, if left undiagnosed and untreated it can create risks for the developing fetus. Left untreated the mother's blood sugar levels will be consistently high. This sugar will cross the placenta and pour into the baby's system through the umbilical cord. The unborn baby's pancreas will respond to this high level of sugar by constantly putting out large amounts of insulin. The insulin will allow the fetus's cells to take in glucose, where it will be converted to fat and stored. A baby who has been exposed to constantly high levels of sugar throughout pregnancy will be abnormally large. The baby can also suffer after effects once it is born and is no longer receiving the high levels of sugar. However, routine screening is usually done between week 24 and 28 of the pregnancy for early detection.

If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes you will be required to follow a strict diet decreasing the intake of sugars and fats. The diet will emphasize complex carbohydrates such as vegetables, cereal, grains, beans, peas and other starchy foods as well as foods high in fiber. You will also be required to regularly measure the blood sugar levels with a glucometer. The gestational diabetes usually clears up as soon as the baby is born. However, some studies show that almost 40% of women who have gestational diabetes will go on to develop a permanent form of diabetes within 15 years.

Women most likely at risk are overweight, have a family history of diabetes, have previously given birth to a very large, heavy baby, have an excess amount of amniotic fluid, are over 25 years of age or have a previous history of gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

With thanks to www.your-baby.com.au