Diabetes: Gestational Diabetes

• What is gestational diabetes?
• What causes gestational diabetes?
• What are the complications of gestational diabetes?
• Who is at risk for gestational diabetes?
• How is gestational diabetes diagnosed?
• How Is gestational diabetes managed?
  • Do I need to take insulin?
  • How do I monitor my blood glucose levels?
  • How will my diet change?
  • How much exercise is safe?
  • How much weight gain is safe during pregnancy?
• What happens to my baby after delivery?
• Will I still have diabetes after I deliver my baby?
• Related gestational diabetes articles:
  Gestational diabetes - on WebMD

What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a condition characterized by high blood glucose (sugar) levels that is first recognized during pregnancy. About 7% of all pregnant women in the U.S. are diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

Almost all women have some degree of impaired glucose intolerance during pregnancy as a result of hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy. That means that their blood sugar is higher than normal, but not high enough to have diabetes. During the later part of pregnancy (the third trimester), these hormonal changes place pregnant woman at risk for gestational diabetes.

During pregnancy, increased levels of certain hormones made in the placenta (the organ that connects the baby by the umbilical cord to the uterus) help shift nutrients from the mother to the developing fetus. Other hormones are produced by the placenta to help prevent the mother from developing low blood sugar. They work by stopping the actions of insulin.

Over the course of the pregnancy, these hormones lead to progressive impaired glucose intolerance (higher blood glucose levels). To try to decrease the glucose levels, the body makes more insulin to shuttle glucose into cells.

Usually the mother's pancreas is able to produce more insulin (about three times the normal amount) to overcome the effect of the pregnancy hormones on glucose levels. If, however, the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin to overcome the effect of the increased hormones during pregnancy, glucose levels will rise, resulting in gestational diabetes.

From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com

Diabetes - Information on Diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus) including types, causes, symptoms of diabetes, medications, and treatment. Produced by the doctors of MedicineNet.com Source:MedicineNet Pregnancy (Stages of Pregnancy) - Learn how to have a healthy pregnancy by reading about symptoms, procedures and tests and what to expect during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters. Source:Government Pregnancy Planning - The goals of pregnancy planning are to create a healthy environment for the fetus and to prevent birth defects and other pregnancy related problems. Source:MedicineNet Read 15 more Gestational Diabetes related articles ... Extra Pounds During and Between Pregnancies Can Pose Problems Health Tip: Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes Ominous Rise in Pre-Pregnancy Diabetes Pregnancy: High-Normal Blood Sugar Risky Health Highlights: June 24, 2007 Health Highlights: June 23, 2007