Gestational Diabetes: What Causes It?

Gestational Diabetes: What Causes It? (00:01:20)
Video Transcript

Gestational diabetes is a medical condition that occurs during pregnancy.

And in most cases, gestational diabetes is going to go away or resolve after the delivery of your infant.

The reason why women develop gestational diabetes is due to the placenta and some of the hormones or substances that are secreted or released from the placenta, and these hormones are essential.

They are important to maintaining a healthy pregnancy.

You have to have these hormones onboard in your body.

One of the other effects of these hormones is that they can affect how well your insulin works.

And that's the substance that helps women to manage or helps the body to manage its blood sugars.

In order to determine whether or not you have gestational diabetes, your doctor will run a series of tests.

Your doctor will first ask you to drink a sugary drink and then one hour later will draw your blood to test your overall blood glucose or sugar level.

If that level is high, your doctor will call you back and have you do a second test to confirm whether or not you have gestational diabetes.

These tests are very important for the health of you and your infant.

If your test results are abnormal, your doctor will call you and explain the results, and also work with you in an ongoing fashion, to help you better manage your blood sugars.

Current as of: April 30, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

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