What is gestational diabetes?

Everyone knows diabetes or diabetes. But gestational diabetes is much less known.

With gestational diabetes, the sugar level in the mother's blood increases. This occurs during the second half of pregnancy. The cause lies in the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. Because they have to produce insulin for both the mother and the fetus, they cannot keep up with the increased demand for insulin.

Insulin serves to absorb sugar from the blood. Due to the insulin deficiency, the tissues can no longer easily absorb sugar from the blood. The sugar then accumulates in the blood. This is more common in mothers who are overweight or older, but heredity also plays a role.

As a future mother, you can prevent it by eating a balanced diet, avoiding excessive weight gain and exercising regularly. The blood sugar value usually returns to normal shortly after delivery.

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 0000-00-00 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2024