What is gestational diabetes | Dr Rama Sofat Hospital

What is gestational diabetes | Dr Rama Sofat Hospital

During pregnancy, some women develop high blood sugar levels. This condition is known as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes typically develops between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy as explained by Dr Rama Sofat.

What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?

It’s rare for gestational diabetes to cause symptoms. If you do experience symptoms, they’ll likely be mild. They may include:

• fatigue
• blurred vision
• excessive thirst
• excessive need to urinate
• snoring

What causes gestational diabetes?

The exact cause of gestational diabetes is unknown, but hormones likely play a role. When you’re pregnant, your body produces larger amounts of some hormones, including:

human placental lactogen (hPL)

hormones that increase insulin resistance

These hormones affect your placenta and help sustain your pregnancy. Over time, the amount of these hormones in your body increases. They may start to make your body resistant to insulin, the hormone that regulates your blood sugar.

Insulin helps move glucose out of your blood into your cells, where it’s used for energy. In pregnancy, your body naturally becomes slightly insulin resistant, so that more glucose is available in your blood stream to be passed to the baby. 

If the insulin resistance becomes too strong, your blood glucose levels may rise abnormally. This can cause gestational diabetes.

Who is at risk for gestational diabetes?

You’re at a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes if you:

• are over the age of 25
• have high blood pressure
• have a family history of diabetes
• were overweight before you became pregnant
• gain a larger than normal amount of weight while you’re pregnant
• are expecting multiple babies
• have previously given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
• have had gestational diabetes in the past
• have had an unexplained miscarriage or stillbirth
• have been on glucocorticoids

What should you eat if you have gestational diabetes?

A balanced diet is key to properly managing gestational diabetes. In particular, women with gestational diabetes should pay special attention to their carbohydrate, protein, and fat intake.