Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy when your body isn’t making enough insulin due to insulin resistance or other factors. Like both type 1 and type 2 diabetes, it causes high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. About 8 percent of pregnant women will develop gestational diabetes. It typically happens later in pregnancy as the placenta makes hormones that make the mother more insulin resistant.
This type of diabetes can lead to health complications for both the pregnant woman and her baby, including high blood pressure, obesity, and premature birth.
For most women, gestational diabetes doesn’t cause any noticeable signs or symptoms. The ones that can occur can also be caused by pregnancy itself or by other health conditions, so it may not be obvious that you have it. Those symptoms include:
These symptoms typically go away after giving birth, when blood glucose levels return to normal. But gestational diabetes does increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Gestational diabetes is divided into two classes, which are determined by the type of treatment that will be needed:
Class A1
This type of gestational diabetes can be controlled through healthy dietary changes. These may include eating meals and snacks on a regular schedule, as well as consuming balanced meals with carbohydrates, protein, and unsaturated fat. Regular exercise can also help manage the condition.
Class A2
This type of gestational diabetes cannot be controlled with diet strategies alone. Medications such as metformin (Glucophage) or insulin will be needed to manage blood sugar levels.
Uncontrolled gestational diabetes can cause a number of problems in both pregnant women and their babies. Receiving a diagnosis and managing blood sugar through diet and/or medication is important for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.
Complications for Pregnant Women
If you are pregnant and develop gestational diabetes, risks to your health include:
Preeclampsia, which is a condition that causes dangerously high blood pressure
An increase in amniotic fluid in pregnancy, which can put pressure on nearby organs like the lungs, stomach, and bladder
Preterm delivery
Need for a C-section
Higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life
Complications for the Baby
If a pregnant woman has gestational diabetes, the baby is also at an increased risk of birth complications and health issues:
High birth weight
Preterm birth
Shoulder dystocia (getting stuck in the birth canal)
Long-term higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life
Since not everyone with gestational diabetes will develop symptoms, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advises all pregnant women to be screened for it.
This typically happens between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. But if you have risk factors for gestational diabetes, your obstetrician may recommend testing earlier than that.
Risk factors for gestational diabetes include:
Overweight or obesity
A sedentary lifestyle
A family history of diabetes
A previous gestational diabetes diagnosis
Having a baby that weighed 9 pounds or more in a previous pregnancy
Your health history, including having high blood pressure, heart disease, or polycystic ovary syndrome
Certain high-risk ethnic groups, including those who are Asian, Hispanic, or Black
To test for gestational diabetes, your doctor will recommend either a glucose challenge test, which takes about an hour, or a glucose tolerance test, which takes two or three hours. These tests involve getting your blood drawn and consuming a sugary liquid, which allows the healthcare professional to measure your body’s response to sugar.
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes (high blood sugar) that can develop during pregnancy. Symptoms may include blurred vision, an increase in thirst and urination, and fatigue.
There are two classes of gestational diabetes. One can be managed with dietary changes and the other requires treatment with medication.
This health condition can be harmful for both the pregnant woman and her baby. Talk to your obstetrician about when you should be tested, given your health history and lifestyle.
