Gestational diabetes is attributed to increased glucose intolerance during pregnancy, which is the result of hormonal changes in the body. Pregnant women are most at risk of developing gestational diabetes in their third trimester, because that is when hormones are really running rampant.
Gestational diabetes occurs in about 4% of all pregnancies, and is caused when women are unable to produce more insulin during their pregnancy to counteract the effect of hormones that stop the action of insulin. These hormones are necessary to prevent the mother from developing a low blood sugar level and they are produced by the placenta. Hence, the onset of potential diabetes is during gestation. Women who are therefore unable to compensate by producing more insulin will become diabetic during their pregnancy.
Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes
Women who are at high risk for gestational diabetes have to be screened as early as possible in the pregnancy. If you are not considered at high risk you should still be screened between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy, because if gestational diabetes occurs and it is left untreated it can cause serious birth defects in the fetus.
The diabetes screen involves taking an oral glucose tolerance test. You will be asked to quickly drink a very sweet liquid containing 50g of glucose. Your body will quickly absorb the glucose and your blood sugar levels will rise within the next 30 minutes to an hour. Then you will have to give a blood sample, which will be tested to see how much of the glucose was processed by your body. This will tell how much insulin you are approximate producing and whether you may have diabetes. If the test results are abnormal it does not immediately mean you have diabetes, you will however be required to take another test to give a more conclusive answer.