What is Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes is type of diabetes developed in women during pregnancy. Around 3 to 7 % women get Gestational Diabetes. In this, level of glucose in your blood increases.
Most of food that we eat is converted into glucose. This glucose enters into blood. With the help of insulin hormone created by pancreases, glucose provides energy (fuel cell). During pregnancy, placenta provides nourishment to baby. It also produces other hormones which make it difficult to use insulin. So glucose stays in blood instead of moving and getting converted into energy. Thus increases level of glucose of in blood.
In most women, this isn't a problem because when insulin demand increases pancreases produces more insulin. However problem arises when pancreases can not keep up with increased insulin demand. And thus level of glucose in blood increases which results into Gestational Diabetes.
Following factors put a woman at more risk to develop Gestational Diabetes.
- Women with age more than 30
- Excessive Fat (Obesity)
- Having Gestational Diabetes during last pregnancy
- Having given birth to large baby previously (more than 8 pounds)
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes history of family
After birth of baby, women with Gestational Diabetes do not remain diabetic any more. However chances of gestational diabetes during next pregnancy and type 2 diabetes in future increases. Also baby born to a woman having Gestational Diabetes are overweight and there is chances that they get type 2 diabetes in future.