Gestational Diabetes has been an issue for pregnant women for many years. It knows no boundaries and can develop in any woman whose body falls into the right condition during pregnancy to cause this disease.
The issue that has not been reported on much is that gestational diabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes that can last a lifetime. In fact, of women who develop gestational diabetes have a 71% higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy. An interesting phenomenon is that once the women who have gestational diabetes have delivered their babies and the gestational diabetes has subsided, they do not necessarily develop type 2 diabetes right away. It can take from a few months to a few years before type 2 diabetes develops after the pregnancy. The medication metformin has been used for women who have had gestational diabetes with excellent results.
Sometimes gestational diabetes is caused by difficult pregnancies and/or multiple pregnancies in a short period of time or year after year not allowing the body and the immune system to totally stabilize or normalize in between pregnancies. One example of a situation that can be quite dangerous and very conducive to gestational diabetes is that of Angelina Jolie. She has had several pregnancies that were close together – nearly back to back – and there were problems with the most recent pregnancy which caused her to have to deliver by cesarean section. Doctors have warned her that she should wait quite a while before she has another pregnancy or preferably, not get pregnant again.
If you have had a pregnancy during which you developed gestational diabetes or if you ever have that situation, it is important that you follow up with your doctor every 6 to 12 months and keep track of your blood glucose level. Make sure that you keep on the watch for diabetes symptoms such as frequent urination, excessive thirst, extreme tiredness, or rapid changes in weight.
If you are pregnant, do everything you can to keep you and your child healthy by eating well, getting enough rest and getting at least a modest amount of exercise. If you still develop gestational diabetes, be sure to monitor your health far into the future
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