The Signs of Gestational Diabetes

The signs of gestational diabetes is essential to understand and detect as early as possible so that you can start to take control and manage these symptoms so that they do not develop into type 2 diabetes further down the track. It is important to know that gestational diabetes is not recognised by the lack of insulin, rather it is caused from the blocking of other hormones on the insulin that is produced which we now understand to be and referred to as insulin resistance.

The signs of diabetes appear during pregnancy in women that have never been diagnosed with diabetes and thankfully most of the signs that do occur disappear after the delivery of the baby. It is important to remember however that women that do suffer from gestational diabetes are at a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes later on in life.

There are many speculations as to what causes gestational diabetes. Your doctor will automatically test for diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of your pregnancy. There are higher risks of developing gestational diabetes if you have a family history of diabetes, if you are overweight, and if you are over 25 years old.

One of the reasons you can develop diabetes and why it is important to check is because as the placenta grows these hormones are produced and your insulin resistance becomes higher. Your pancreas is usually able to produce more insulin to avoid insulin resistance, however, when the production of insulin is not sufficient to fight the effect of the placenta's hormones this is how gestational diabetes occurs.

It is important to realise that the placenta supplies the growing foetus with water and essential nutrients and importantly produces a range of hormones to be able to maintain the pregnancy. These hormones known as estrogen, cortisol, and human placental lactogen can cause a blocking reaction to the insulin, which can occur around 24 to 28 weeks into the pregnancy.

The signs of gestational diabetes are quite similar to the other types of diabetes; these include hunger, increased thirst, weight gain, high blood pressure, vaginal infections, and frequent urination.

If you suspect that you are suffering from any of these signs prior to your glucose check up, you need to mention this to your doctor immediately so that you can get tested as soon as possible just in case you have developed gestational diabetes and you can then take control and start to manage the diabetes so that you can reduce your risk of developing this into type 2 diabetes and avoid any complications.

The signs of gestational diabetes is not to be taken lightly as this can develop into type 2 diabetes later in life, so you need to take control now and maintain a healthy outlook for your future.

Sue Kennedy is the author of the physician-endorsed e-book "Defeat Diabetes Now," and operates a membership channel devoted to health & wellness. Readers of her book also receive instant access to expert interviews, articles, diet plans and other resources designed to maintain optimum health and prevent disease. Learn how you can defeat diabetes now.

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