Gestational Diabetes Causes
Gestational diabetes is inability of tissues to extract glucose from blood due to lack insulin in pregnant woman. Thus in gestational Diabetes, the level of glucose in blood is high.
Most of the food we ate is converted into glucose. Glucose enters in the blood which is then converted into energy with the help of insulin, a hormone produced by pancreas. In pregnant woman placenta provides nourishment to baby. Placenta also produces other hormones that interfere with body's response to insulin called insulin resistance. Some women do not have gestational diabetes as pancreas produces more insulin to tackle insulin resistance. If pancreas dose not produce enough insulin, glucose level in blood increases and causes Gestational Diabetes.
There are not exact reasons that why some women have Gestational Diabetes and others don't have. However some factors which put them at high risk of Gestational Diabetes. They are
- A woman with age more than 25
- Woman with obesity (overweight)
- Having Gestational Diabetes during previous pregnancy
- Having given birth to large baby (more than 8 pounds)
- Having a baby with birth defect or stillbirth
- Have an excess amount of amniotic fluid
- Family history of diabetes
- Belonging to ethnic group (Mexican American, American Indians, African Americans, South East Asian, Pacific Islands)
Gestational Diabetes doesn't exhibit any symptoms. You don't come to know that you have Gestational Diabetes until you tests for it. A test are conducted during 24 to 28 week of pregnancy. These tests include screening glucose test, oral glucose tolerance test and 3 hour glucose tolerance test. If you have a Gestational Diabetes, your doctor will prepare a diet and exercise plan for you. It will help you to keep your glucose level within safe limit. If not, you will need insulin injections to control Gestational Diabetes.