Overview

Definition

Gestational diabetes is a condition characterized by elevated blood sugar brought on by pregnancy. The condition affects 4 percent of all pregnancies in the United States each year, according to the American Diabetes Association.

The condition affects the mother in late pregnancy - usually beginning sometime around weeks 20 through 24 - after the baby is formed. Gestational diabetes can hurt the baby if not controlled. The blood sugars of most women return to normal after they deliver. However, they are at risk of again developing gestational diabetes with subsequent pregnancies. Other women go on to develop type 2 diabetes and require treatment for the rest of their lives.

Prognosis

The good news is that gestational diabetes often can be controlled with diet and exercise. But for a few women, the condition may require insulin injections. Gestational diabetes ends once the pregnancy has ended, but it increases the risk of the mother developing type 2 diabetes later in life. There is also a higher chance for developing the condition in later pregnancies.

If you have gestational diabetes, the American Diabetes Association recommends that you get a glucose screening at least six weeks after you deliver. If your glucose level is normal, you can wait up to three years to get another screening. If your post-partum glucose level is not normal, you should get annual glucose screenings to follow up.

More on Gestational Diabetes

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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.