What is Gestational Diabetes ? Gestational diabetes is diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy and if not taken care of, can lead to complications in the health of the mother as well as the baby.

Shedding some light on gestational diabetes, Dr. Dheeraj Kapoor (Sr. Consultant & Head of Endocrinology, Artemis Hospital) says that in these cases, the function of the pancreas gets mildly compromised and they are unable to compensate with enough insulin to handle the glucose build up during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is usually detected around 26 to 28 weeks into the pregnancy and Indians and South East Asian’s are more prone to getting diabetes. This is why it is advised to have your sugar checked every trimester during pregnancy. In the event that you are detected with diabetes, the mother should follow up with her endocrinologist and gynaecologist.

There are 35% – 45% chances that women with gestational diabetes may develop diabetes later in life. Dr. Dheeraj Kapoor attributes one of its major reasons to the negligence of diet after delivery. To lower the risk of diabetes, he recommends moderate consumption of sugar and carbohydrates even after delivery. He warns us that if your sugar levels are not controlled during pregnancy, severe complications for the baby including malfunctions in their spinal cord, heart, limbs, or even the lungs might occur. In extreme cases, the baby may not survive. Considering this, controlling sugar during pregnancy is imperative.

Additionally, it is important to note that if the mother has diabetes before conception, or during, or after the pregnancy, the child is also at risk of getting diabetes.

For further details please watch this video.