Gestational diabetes is the third type of diabetes which occurs typically during pregnancy. Although it may disappear after the baby is born, if the condition is left untreated, then it may not only harm the health of the mother but also the health of the fetus too. In a small number of cases, gestational diabetes occurs temporarily during pregnancy.

The symptoms seen in gestational diabetes patients are almost the same as the symptoms of diabetes mellitus. The patient experiences increased thirst and passes urine frequently. It is very important that the sugar level in the blood is tested by the prenatal medical team at regular intervals, so that it can be kept under control. The high levels of insulin in the mother's system can result in large babies, although no birth defects have been known to occur.

During the first trimester most birth defects manifest themselves, and gestational diabetes does not typically occur until the second trimester. Factors that need to be considered during pregnancy to determine whether or not the mother is at risk, are whether she had gestational diabetes during her previous pregnancy, if the previous baby was overweight and also the age of the mother. Chances are that the mother will develop type 2 diabetes later in life if she has gestational diabetes during her pregnancy - even if the condition disappeared after she gave birth.

If a woman is at risk of getting gestational diabetes or is showing symptoms of the disease, she should get the required tests done by the 28th week or even earlier if she had experienced it during her previous pregnancy. The tests will be done by a physician performing glucose tests to determine if there are increased chances of getting gestational diabetes, after which extensive tests can be done to complete the diagnosis.

Gestational diabetes can put your baby at risk! The mother has the risk of developing type 2 diabetes at a later stage, as well as hypertension or high blood pressure. Some of the most common problems seen in infants are:

• Macrosomia (excessive birth weight)

• Jaundice

• Respiratory distress syndrome

• Low calcium

• Levels of magnesium

• Increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life

Once the problem is diagnosed, the treatment started will depend on the health of the mother. The age and weight of the mother have to be considered. The treatment will be given according to her preference. Either she could opt for a strict diet regime and exercise with proper monitoring of blood sugar levels or, in more severe cases, she could go for insulin treatment. Whatever method is chosen, the main focus will be on controlling the sugar levels in the blood.