A 41-year-old member asked:
What causes gestational diabetes ?
3 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Nikolaos Zachariasanswered
Maternal-Fetal Medicine 28 years experience
Obesity/age/hormones: Excessive maternal weight for height, increasing maternal age, poor dietary habits, family history and placental hormones can all contribute to cause gestational diabetes mellitus in any one pregnant woman. Other risk factors are hispanic race/ethnicity, increasing number of previous pregnancies and multifetal pregnancies (twins, triplets etc).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Michael Rothmananswered
Internal Medicine 37 years experience
Insulin resistance: Gestational diabetes is the result of excessive sugar and carbohydrate intake which causes high blood sugar levels, which then make your Insulin levels rise. Plus the hormone changes in preg make prob worse. . Over time the chronically high Insulin levels lead to Insulin resistance and you will need to make higher and higher levels of insulin. You must improve your diet or you will end up with dm.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Stephen Sudleranswered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 42 years experience
Insulin Resistance: Gestational Diabetes is the development of glucose "intolerance" after the diagnosis of pregnancy has been made. During pregnancy, at least 6 factors are produced by the pregnancy that interfere with the body's ability to manage blood sugar by blocking the action of insulin. Age, weight, previous history,, and family history are among the risk factors. Diet,and/or medication (oral or insulin)
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
866 viewsAnswered >2 years agoMerged
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Cincinnati, OH
A 28-year-old female asked:
What causes gestational diabetes and how can I avoid it?
2 doctor answers • 15 doctors weighed in
Dr. Kathleen Handsanswered
Endocrinology 69 years experience
Insulin resistance: If you have a family history of diabetes, you are already predisposed to having Insulin resistance. As you gain weight with pregnancy and the hormonal changes take place, you increase Insulin exposure and become more Insulin resistant till you can no longer keep up with demands and start spilling sugar (as they say). Avoid by eating no sugar, minimal carbs, keep pregnancy weight gain to <25 if ove.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Dec 8, 2016
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