Who is at risk for gestational diabetes?
The following factors increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy: • Being overweight prior to becoming pregnant (if you are 20% or more over your ideal body weight). • Being a member of a high risk ethnic group (Hispanic, Black, Native American, or Asian). • Having sugar in your urine. • Impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose (blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough to be diabetes). • Family history of diabetes (if your parents or siblings have diabetes). • Previously giving birth to a baby over 9 pounds. • Previously giving birth to a stillborn baby. • Having gestational diabetes with a previous pregnancy. • Having too much amniotic fluid (a condition called polyhydramnios). Many women who develop gestational diabetes have no known risk factors. How Is Gestational Diabetes Diagnosed? High risk women should be screened for gestational diabetes as early as possible during their pregnancies. All other women will be screened between the
