What is gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes (pronounced jess-tay-shun-ul die-uh-beet-eez) is a type of diabetes, or high blood sugar, that only pregnant women get. In fact, the word gestational means pregnant What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes (pronounced jess-tay-shun-ul die-uh-beet-eez) is a type of diabetes, or high blood sugar, that only pregnant women get. In fact, the word gestational means pregnant. If a woman gets high blood sugar when she’s pregnant, but she never had high blood sugar before, she has gestational diabetes. Nearly 135,000 pregnant women get the condition every year, making it one of the top health concerns related to pregnancy.
If not treated, gestational diabetes can cause problems for mothers and babies. Some of these problems can be serious.
You can learn more about gestational diabetes and how to stay healthy during your pregnancy from the NICHD booklet, Understanding Gestational Diabetes: A Practical Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. To get your free copy of the booklet, contact the NICHD Clearinghouse at:
1-800-370-2943
Fax: (301) 984-1473
E-mail: NICHDClearinghouse@mail.nih.gov
Internet: https://www.nichd.nih.gov