Often considered the third type of the illness, gestational diabetes typically has its onset during pregnancy. While its effects may be reduced or disappear following giving birth, if left untreated during the pregnancy can cause harm to the fetus as well as to the mother. About two to five percent of pregnant women experience a temporary affect of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Expectant mothers who have gestational diabetes may experience increased thirst, excessive urination and other similar symptoms to diabetes mellitus, and the patient’s blood sugar should be tested frequently by the prenatal medical team. High levels of insulin getting to the fetus can cause large babies but has not been associated with birth defects.

Most defects manifest within the first trimester while the typical onset of gestational diabetes occurs during the second trimester. A woman may considered being at risk for gestational diabetes if they have had it during a previous pregnancy, the mother’s age, a family history of Type 2 diabetes mellitus or a previous pregnancy that result in an infant with a birth weight over nine pounds. In a majority of cases women with gestational diabetes develop Type 2 diabetes later in life, even if it seemed to have disappeared after giving birth.

Testing Needed For Accurate Diagnosis

A woman who is at risk for developing gestational diabetes should be tested between weeks 24 and 28, even earlier if there are more than one or two risk factors present and especially if they have experienced it during a previous pregnancy. There are a couple of glucose challenges physicians can use to determine if this form of diabetes might exist, before extensive testing is used for positive diagnosis.

There are a few risks associated with gestational diabetes for the infant including macrosomia, an increased baby weight, as well as jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome, low calcium and levels of magnesium as well as the increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. For the mother, the risks include the potential to develop Type 2 diabetes later as well as high blood pressure.

If a physician determines the presence of gestational diabetes treatment will depend on the health of the mother, along with age, weight and the mother’s preference to treatment. It could consist of diet and exercise along with daily monitoring of blood sugar levels and in severe cases, insulin injections. Maintaining a set level of blood sugar as the aim of any treatment regimen.

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