Gestational Diabetes

Diabetes during pregnancy is a problem that is becoming more frequent. Some of the pregnant may already have diabetes before pregnancy and, in that case, we shouldn't use the expression "Gestational Diabetes".

Gestational Diabetes, by definition, refers to high blood sugar that emerges during pregnancy and resolves after delivery.

It is diagnosed in a different way than other types of diabetes, namely:

• Fasting blood glucose equal or greater than 92 mg/dL (5.1 mmol/L) in the first trimester blood tests

• During an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, a glucose level equal or greater than 180 mg/dL (10 mmol/L) 1 hour after glucose intake and/or 153 mg/dL (8.5 mmol/L) 2 hours after glucose intake. This test usually is made between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy.

Gestational Diabetes is associated with placenta induced insulin resistance. It frequently occurs in people with stronger susceptibility to high blood sugar, either because they have a lower insulin producing capacity or a tendency to insulin resistance. For example, the tendency to insulin resistance can occur in people with obesity, more advanced age, or a family history of type 2 diabetes, The occurence of gestational diabetes is also a strong predictor for future type 2 diabetes.