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Gestational diabetes Wikipedia

DiseaseDisorder infobox |
Name = Gestational diabetes |
ICD10 = O24 |
ICD9 = 648.8 |

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes found in pregnant women. It occurs when the pregnant woman's body cannot produce enough insulin, resulting in high blood sugar. Gestational diabetes affects an estimated two to three percent of pregnant women.http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/diabetes_in_pregnancy.html

Risk factors for diabetes include:

• a Family history (medicine)|family history of Diabetes mellitus type 2|type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes

• maternal age - a woman's risk factor increases the older she is

• ethnic background (those with higher risk factors include African-Americans, North American native peoples and Hispanics)

• obesity

• gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy

• a previous pregnancy that resulted in a child with a birth weight of 9 pounds or more

Frequently women with gestational diabetes exhibit no symptoms. However, possible symptoms include increased thirst, increased urination, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, bladder and yeast infection, and blurred vision.

Last Modified:   2005-12-23