Gestational Diabetes 

What is Gestational Diabetes? 

Gestational diabetes mellitus is common in women who were overweight before becoming pregnant. According to Dr. Lois Jovanovic, Gestational diabetes affects between 2% and 10% of women during pregnancy[1]. Like other forms of diabetes (type 1 and type 2) body weight plays a major role as a risk factor for gestational diabetes.

However, it is also common for women who have not had prior risk factors to develop gestational diabetes during the last trimester of pregnancy. Outside of risk factors common to diabetes, risk factors for gestational diabetes include the previous occurrence of gestational diabetes with childbirth, previous birth of a stillborn child, a condition known as polyhydramnios (meaning too much amniotic fluid), and/ or glycosuria (glucose in urine samples).

Essentially, a pregnant woman’s pancreas is naturally prepared to create more insulin during pregnancy to overcome natural hormonal effects that raise blood sugar values during pregnancy. In some instances, a pregnant woman cannot produce enough insulin as normally created during pregnancy. As a result, blood sugar rises to meet the definition of gestational diabetes.

Lower Chances of Gestational Diabetes

Be Physically Fit Prior to Pregnancy

Lose Excess Body Weight