If you do not suffer from diabetes, but develop diabetes during pregnancy, it is a condition known as gestational diabetes. This condition usually affects about 2% of women. It needs to be monitored and treated properly so that it doesn’t lead to any problems for the mother and her unborn baby. It is more common in women who are overweight or have a family history of diabetes. Your risk of developing gestational diabetes is higher if you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), you have previously given birth to a large baby or have had a still birth.

There are 3 types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are life-long conditions, while gestational diabetes usually occurs in the second trimester of a pregnancy and goes away when the baby is born. If you find that your diabetes does not go away after your baby has been born, you probably were diabetic before you were pregnant without realising it. You will need to see your doctor so that you can be treated accordingly.

Your body produces the hormone insulin, which breaks down the sugar in your blood and turns it into energy. If your body does not have sufficient insulin or if the insulin is not working properly, your blood sugar level will be high, this condition is known as diabetes. When you are pregnant, your baby needs to get sufficient glucose and your body allows this by using hormones to block the action of insulin. Your body will produce more insulin to cope. If your body does not produce the extra insulin, you will develop gestational diabetes.

Symptoms of high blood sugar can be similar to any normal pregnancy. These include feeling tired, having an increased thirst and needing to urinate more frequently. There is no immediate threat
to your health with gestational diabetes, but it does increase your risk of problems if you do not control it properly. You could go into premature labour, have too much amniotic fluid and/or develop high blood pressure from a condition known as pre-eclampsia. If you develop gestational diabetes in one pregnancy, you have a chance of developing the condition in future pregnancies. There is also a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in later life.

A woman who is diabetic during pregnancy is more likely to have a caesarean section than a woman who is not diabetic. This is because your high blood sugar can cause your baby to grow bigger, which makes delivery more difficult. After birth, your baby may have hypoglycaemia, which is low blood sugar. This is because your baby produces more insulin in response to your high sugar level. If your baby continues to produce these high levels after birth, his blood sugar level will be too low. Your baby’s blood sugar will be checked regularly by a doctor. Babies are sometimes given a sugar solution by drip, but regular feeding may be enough to correct your baby’s blood sugar level. Your baby will also be at risk of jaundice, but this does not usually require treatment. There is also a risk of your baby being born with a heart defect or respiratory distress syndrome, due to lungs that may not have matured fully. Your baby may need to be ventilated, but the condition should clear itself up.

If you have suffered gestational diabetes, you should take extra care to ensure you do not develop type 2 diabetes in later life. It is recommended that you eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Try to maintain the correct weight for your height.

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