THE BABBLE TAKE
Gestational diabetes is when pregnancy causes women with no prior history of diabetes to stop being able to break down blood sugar properly. Gestational diabetes is most often diagnosed late in pregnancy since it is difficult to detect prior to week 24-28. There aren't necessarily any noticeable symptoms of the condition and thus it tends to be discovered during regular check-ups. If untreated, gestational diabetes can cause a condition called macrosomia, in which the fetus becomes very overweight which can cause health problems for the baby and complications during delivery. Gestational diabetes can be managed with healthy diet and moderate but regular exercise, though in some case insulin injections are also necessary. Most women with gestational diabetes can have a healthy pregnancy resulting in a healthy baby. Usually gestational diabetes goes away soon after you've given birth, however women who have had it are at risk for getting it again in subsequent pregnancies and are also at elevated risk for Type 2 diabetes later in life.
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American Diabetes Association
"Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4 percent of all pregnant women — about 135,000 cases of gestational diabetes in the United States each year. We don't know what causes gestational diabetes, but we have some clues. [...] Gestational diabetes affects the mother in late pregnancy, after the baby's body has been formed, but while the baby is busy growing. Because of this, gestational diabetes does not cause the kinds of birth defects sometimes seen in babies whose mothers had diabetes before pregnancy."
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Family Doctor
"High sugar levels in your blood can be unhealthy for both you and your baby. If the diabetes isn't treated, your baby may be more likely to have problems at birth. For example, your baby may have a low blood sugar level or jaundice, or your baby may weigh much more than is normal. Gestational diabetes can also affect your health. For instance, if your baby is very large, you may have a more difficult delivery or need a cesarean section."
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Mayo Clinic
"Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. Like other forms of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects the way your body uses blood sugar (glucose) — your body's main source of fuel. As a result, your blood sugar level is too high. If untreated or uncontrolled, gestational diabetes can result in a variety of health problems for you and your baby. If you have gestational diabetes, you and your doctor will devise a plan to keep your blood sugar levels within a normal range. The good news is that controlling your blood sugar can help ensure a healthy pregnancy for you and a healthy start for your baby."
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BabyCenter ®
"These days, most women who develop diabetes during pregnancy go on to have healthy babies. Your practitioner will monitor you closely and you'll most likely be able to keep your blood sugar levels under control with diet and exercise, and by getting insulin shots if you need them. But poorly controlled diabetes can have serious consequences for you and your baby. For most women with gestational diabetes, the main worry is that too much glucose will end up in the baby's blood. When that happens, your baby's pancreas needs to produce more insulin to process the extra glucose. All this excess blood sugar and insulin can cause your baby to make more fat and put on extra weight, particularly in the upper body."
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Medline Plus
"It is recommended that all pregnant women be screened for gestational diabetes during the 24th and 28th weeks of their pregnancy. The symptoms are usually mild and not life-threatening to the pregnant woman. However, the increased maternal glucose (blood sugar) levels are associated with an increased rate of complications in the baby, including large size at birth, birth trauma, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and jaundice."
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