Diabetes and Pregnancy
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is diabetes? If you have diabetes , your blood glucose , or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. A hormone called insulin helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. With type 1 diabetes , your body does not make insulin. With type 2 diabetes , your body does not make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood. What is gestational diabetes? Some people already have diabetes before they get pregnant. But others may develop diabetes during pregnancy. This type of diabetes is called gestational diabetes. It usually develops around the 24th week of pregnancy. It happens when your body can't make the extra insulin it needs during pregnancy. Researchers think gestational diabetes is caused by the hormonal changes of pregnancy, along with genetic and lifestyle factors. Who is more likely to develop gestational diabetes? Anyone who is pregnant could develop gestational diabetes. But you are more likely to develop it if you: Are overweight or have obesity Have a family history of diabetes Had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy Have given birth to a baby weighing 9 pounds or more Have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) Are African American, Hispanic/Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander person How do I know if I have gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes often has no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may be mild, such as being thirstier than normal or having to urinate (pee) more often. If you are pregnant, you will most likely be screened for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. But if you have an increased chance of developing gestational diabetes, you may be tested during your first prenatal visit . Your health care provider will use one or more blood glucose tests to check for gestational diabetes. You may have the glucose challenge test, the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), or both. For these two tests