Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not produce enough insulin (a chemical that allows the body to digest sugar or glucose), or is unable to use the insulin it has (insulin resistance). When this happens, sugar or glucose accumulates in the bloodstream and throughout the body, causing damage to internal organs, eyes, nerves, and blood vessels.

Gestational diabetes, which occurs during pregnancy, is a milder form of diabetes. Generally, the blood glucose levels in gestational diabetes are only mildly elevated compared to overt diabetes and do not cause a problem for the mother. These mildly elevated glucose levels can, however, affect the baby.

These problems can cause the baby to be oversized, which can lead to delivery problems and an increased need for C-sections. Occasionally stillbirth can occur. The baby can have problems after birth such as hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and jaundice. Childhood obesity and a predisposition to diabetes can also be a problem for the child.

Understanding Gestational Diabetes

Normal pregnancy requires the mother's body to make more insulin and for the insulin to work more effectively. When you develop gestational diabetes, you develop an increase in blood-glucose levels, usually after meals and at times when fasting. Gestational diabetes commonly develops in the second half of pregnancy (after 20 to 24 weeks).

Risks for Gestational Diabetes

Women over age 35 are twice as likely to develop gestational diabetes as younger women, who have a rate of about 3 to 5 percent. One study at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City found that women over 40 were three times as likely to develop it. Gestational diabetes is on the rise among all women, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reporting a 61 percent increase among all women between 1991 and 2001. The risk for gestational diabetes is elevated among people of Hispanic, Southeast Asian, Native American, and African American ethnicity.

Controlling Gestational Diabetes

If you do develop gestational diabetes, you will need to control your blood sugar with diet and exercise. You will need to test your blood sugar in the morning and one or two times throughout the day after meals. Most women can control gestational diabetes through diet and exercise, but a small number will need insulin injections or an oral medication called Glyburide.

Once you've had gestational diabetes, you have a 50 to 60 percent chance of developing adult onset or type 2 diabetes later in life. If you have had gestational diabetes, you should be screened annually for type 2 diabetes. This is important not only for your health but also to know if you develop type 2 diabetes prior to any future pregnancy.

If you do develop type 2 diabetes, it is important to have preconception care and achieve ideal blood glucose control prior to the pregnancy to avoid the risk of birth defects from high blood sugars. Fortunately, gestational diabetes alone is not generally associated with birth defects. If you have had gestational diabetes, your chance of developing the same condition in later pregnancies is high. You can significantly reduce that risk by weight loss, diet, and exercise prior to the pregnancy.