About Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops in women during pregnancy. Also called gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), the condition typically occurs during the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy (between the 24th and 28th week). Testing for the disorder takes place at this time because the placenta is producing increased levels of hormones that can sometimes lead to insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate glucose (blood sugar). Insulin resistance occurs when the body produces insulin, but is unable to use it properly. If a woman develops high glucose (more than 140 milligrams per deciliter [mg/dL] on a fasting glucose test) during her pregnancy and has never been diagnosed with diabetes, she has gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes affects approximately 4 to 8 percent of all expecting mothers or about 135,000 pregnant women in the United States each year, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The NIH reports that because of the large number of women affected, gestational diabetes is one of the top health concerns related to pregnancy.

Although the condition affects up to 8 percent of all pregnant women, the rates are believed to be as high as 9 percent or higher among the following high-risk populations:

Hispanics
African Americans
Native Americans
South or East Asians
Pacific Islanders
Indigenous Australians
As with other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects the way the body handles glucose. In a normal body, the pancreas produces insulin, which helps transport glucose, the body's primary energy source, to the cells. With adequate production and efficient use of insulin, the body is able to function normally.