Introduction

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs in non-diabetic women during pregnancy.
 

Causes

Gestational diabetes occurs when hormones produced by the placenta changes the way insulin in the body works. Insulin moves glucose out of the blood and into the cells of the body. In women with gestational diabetes, the glucose can’t get into the cells so the amount of glucose in the blood continues to build.

Symptoms

Most women don't experience any signs or symptoms of gestational diabetes.
Generally, gestational diabetes may not cause any symptoms, however, the woman may experience excessive weight gain, excessive hunger or thirst, excessive urination or recurrent vaginal infections.
 

Treatment

Treatment for gestational diabetes includes eating a carefully planned diet, getting plenty of exercise, maintaining a healthy pregnancy weight.
Sometimes diet and exercise may not be enough. In that case, you may need to take daily medication to help lower your blood sugar to safe levels.
Until recently, insulin was the only option for women with gestational diabetes because it doesn't cross the placental barrier. But the oral anti-diabetes drug, glyburide, also may be safe and effective in controlling blood sugar in gestational diabetes.