Who is at risk for developing gestational diabetes?

The following contribute to risk for gestational diabetes:

• Genes and Family History

Family history plays a role in gestational diabetes: women with a parent or sibling with diabetes are more likely to have gestational diabetes. Scientists suspect that gestational diabetes is more like type 2 than type 1 diabetes. For this reason, they think that similar genes are involved in both gestational and type 2 diabetes. However, there have been very few studies on the genes specifically involved in gestational diabetes, and there is no genetic test to detect gestational diabetes.

• Race and Ethnicity

Women who are Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, or African American are more likely to have gestational diabetes than non-Hispanic white women.

• Obesity and Age

Just like type 2 diabetes, obesity and age are risk factors for developing gestational diabetes. Women who are 25 years old or older or overweight are more likely to have it. Obesity contributes to insulin resistance and negatively affects the body’s ability to use insulin properly.

During pregnancy, your body produces lots of hormones in an organ called the placenta. The placenta is also the organ that nourishes the growing baby. These extra hormones are important for the baby’s growth. However, some of these hormones also block insulin’s action in the mother’s body, causing resistance to insulin. All pregnant women—with or without gestational diabetes—have some degree of insulin resistance. Pregnant women already experience some insulin resistance, so any added resistance through excess weight can put you at higher risk for diabetes.

Anyone over the age of 25, if you have a family history of diabetes, if you have had a history of gestational diabetes, if you are overweight (BMI of 30 or above) and if you are African American, Hispanic, Native American and Asian, you are at increased risk for developing gestational diabetes.

Women at risk for developing gestational diabetes include women who are overweight prior to pregnancy and women with a family history of diabetes. In addition past obstetrical history may be risk factors for developing gestational diabetes. These risk factors include::

• Previously giving birth to a baby over 9 pounds
• Previously giving birth to a stillborn baby
• Having gestational diabetes with a previous pregnancy

You are at greater risk for developing gestational diabetes if you are obese (have a body mass index greater than 30); have a family history of diabetes or have previously given birth to a very large infant or have had a stillbirth or a child with certain birth defects. One study showed a strong relationship between a mother's birth weight and her risk of getting gestational diabetes during her first pregnancy—women with low or high birth weights had an increased risk.

You also have a greater risk of developing the condition if you're over 25, Hispanic, African American, Native American, South or East Asian, Pacific Islander or indigenous Australian.