What causes gestational diabetes? Many women have never heard of gestational diabetes before, and only discover it exists when they are diagnosed with it, which is usually in the second half of their pregnancy at about the 25 week mark.
Gestational diabetes occurs when women undergo hormonal changes during the latter stages of pregnancy and either find that they cannot make enough insulin, or discover that while they continue to make insulin, it no longer works as well as it should.
Hormones produced in the placenta that help the baby to develop can interfere with the action of insulin on the mother's body, therefore requiring her to produce extra insulin.
Most women are able to make more insulin to keep their blood glucose level within a normal range but some women are unable to do this and their blood glucose level goes up causing gestational diabetes.
While those who have the condition may experience increased thirst and urination and possibly blurred vision, most suffer no symptoms at all.
This can be a bit of an issue when trying to convince those affected that they need to do something about it.
The diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes is vital to keep both mother and baby healthy throughout the remainder of pregnancy.
So, what are the risk factors? Lifestyle - Obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise are the prime causes.
Age - An increasing number of women are delaying motherhood and opting for pregnancy in their 30s and 40s.
Ethnic background - Caucasians have a low, one in 12 likelihood of developing the condition, some races are especially prone.
For example, Indigenous Australians are two-and-a-half times more likely to develop it than non-indigenous Australians, with Torres Strait Islanders and those of Arabic descent a close second.
Arabic women have one in four chance of developing gestational diabetes, followed by women from Sub Continental Asia, South East Asian women, Pacific Islanders and those of African descent.
Family history - Gestational diabetes is more common in women whose mothers or other relations have had it.
If gestational diabetes goes unchecked, the extra glucose in the mother's blood passes to the baby.
As its more energy than the baby requires, it is stored as fat, resulting in the baby gaining unnecessary weight.
Large babies face risks during delivery and can also be born with low blood glucose and breathing difficulties.
The glucose overload also means at 18 - 20 weeks of pregnancy, the baby may begin to make its own insulin, which can help set the stage in later life for obesity as well as type 2 diabetes.
Although a mother's blood glucose usually returns to normal once she's given birth, as many as 10 - 15 per cent will get type 2 within 2 - 10 years of delivery.
This climbs higher in the most at risk ethnic groups where the figure can be as high as 50 per cent.
Screening involves an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.
If gestational diabetes is diagnosed, you should aim to replace your usual three big meals a day with five or six smaller meals spread out over the day.
Importantly, stay physically active.
Commonly the gestational diabetes will disappear after baby's arrival, it is also very important to have another Oral Glucose Tolerance test done six to eight weeks after the delivery.
Gestational diabetes occurs when women undergo hormonal changes during the latter stages of pregnancy and either find that they cannot make enough insulin, or discover that while they continue to make insulin, it no longer works as well as it should.
Hormones produced in the placenta that help the baby to develop can interfere with the action of insulin on the mother's body, therefore requiring her to produce extra insulin.
Most women are able to make more insulin to keep their blood glucose level within a normal range but some women are unable to do this and their blood glucose level goes up causing gestational diabetes.
While those who have the condition may experience increased thirst and urination and possibly blurred vision, most suffer no symptoms at all.
This can be a bit of an issue when trying to convince those affected that they need to do something about it.
The diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes is vital to keep both mother and baby healthy throughout the remainder of pregnancy.
So, what are the risk factors? Lifestyle - Obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise are the prime causes.
Age - An increasing number of women are delaying motherhood and opting for pregnancy in their 30s and 40s.
Ethnic background - Caucasians have a low, one in 12 likelihood of developing the condition, some races are especially prone.
For example, Indigenous Australians are two-and-a-half times more likely to develop it than non-indigenous Australians, with Torres Strait Islanders and those of Arabic descent a close second.
Arabic women have one in four chance of developing gestational diabetes, followed by women from Sub Continental Asia, South East Asian women, Pacific Islanders and those of African descent.
Family history - Gestational diabetes is more common in women whose mothers or other relations have had it.
If gestational diabetes goes unchecked, the extra glucose in the mother's blood passes to the baby.
As its more energy than the baby requires, it is stored as fat, resulting in the baby gaining unnecessary weight.
Large babies face risks during delivery and can also be born with low blood glucose and breathing difficulties.
The glucose overload also means at 18 - 20 weeks of pregnancy, the baby may begin to make its own insulin, which can help set the stage in later life for obesity as well as type 2 diabetes.
Although a mother's blood glucose usually returns to normal once she's given birth, as many as 10 - 15 per cent will get type 2 within 2 - 10 years of delivery.
This climbs higher in the most at risk ethnic groups where the figure can be as high as 50 per cent.
Screening involves an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.
If gestational diabetes is diagnosed, you should aim to replace your usual three big meals a day with five or six smaller meals spread out over the day.
Importantly, stay physically active.
Commonly the gestational diabetes will disappear after baby's arrival, it is also very important to have another Oral Glucose Tolerance test done six to eight weeks after the delivery.