WHAT IS GESTATIONAL DIABETES?

Diabetes mellitus (also called “diabetes”) is a condition in which too much glucose (sugar) stays in the blood instead of being used for energy. Health problems can occur when blood sugar is too high. Some women develop diabetes for the first time during pregnancy. This condition is called gestational diabetes. Women with gestational diabetes need special care both during and after pregnancy.

WHAT CAUSES GESTATIONAL DIABETES?

The body produces a hormone called insulin that keeps blood sugar levels in the normal range. During pregnancy, higher levels of pregnancy hormones can interfere with insulin. Usually the body can make more insulin during pregnancy to keep blood sugar normal. But in some women, the body cannot make enough insulin during pregnancy, and blood sugar levels go up. This leads to gestational diabetes.

IF I DEVELOP GD, WILL I ALWAYS HAVE DIABETES?

Gestational diabetes goes away after childbirth, but women who have had gestational diabetes are at higher risk of developing diabetes later in life. Some women who develop gestational diabetes may have had mild diabetes before pregnancy and not known it. For these women, diabetes does not go away after pregnancy and may be a lifelong condition

WHO IS AT RISK OF GESTATIONAL DIABETES?

Several risk factors are linked to gestational diabetes. It also can occur in women who have no risk factors, but it is more likely in women who are:

• are overweight or obese

• are physically inactive

• had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy

• had a very large baby (9 pounds or more) in a previous pregnancy

• have high blood pressure

• have a history of heart disease

• have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

• are of African American, Asian American, Hispanic, Native American, or Pacific Island background

HOW CAN GESTATIONAL DIABETES AFFECT A PREGNANT WOMAN?

When a woman has gestational diabetes, her body passes more sugar to her fetus than it needs. With too much sugar, her fetus can gain too much weight. A large fetus (weighing 9 pounds or more) can lead to complications for the woman, including:

• labor difficulties

• cesarean delivery

• heavy bleeding after delivery

• severe tears in the vagina or the perineum (the area between the vagina and the anus) with a vaginal birth

HOW CAN GESTATIONAL DIABETES AFFECT A BABY?

Babies born to women with gestational diabetes may have problems with breathing and jaundice. These babies may have low blood sugar at birth.

Large babies are more likely to experience birth trauma, including damage to their shoulders, during vaginal delivery. Large babies may need special care in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). There also is an increased risk of stillbirth with gestational diabetes.