Gestational diabetes usually occurs in pregnant women. If the person has never had diabetes before and gets it when she is pregnant, then probably she has gestational diabetes. This is shown to happen in about almost 5% of the pregnancies in the United States. The test is usually conducted between 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. 

Most women who had gestational diabetes give birth to healthy babies by controlling their blood sugar with healthy diet and exercise. But in some cases it can be dangerous for the baby’s health:

• It can result in macrosomia where the baby’s body becomes larger than normal. This can cause complications in delivery.
• It can lower the baby’s blood sugar level.
• The baby can have jaundice.
• Children will be at a higher risk of diabetes and obesity.
• The baby will have breathing problems called Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Recent studies have proved that babies of pregnant women who have diabetes will not be able to develop early memory. Diabetes causes fluctuations in glucose levels in the pregnant woman’s body. This results in iron deficiency because of which the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen also gets reduced.

Tracy DeBoer of the University of California Davis studied infants of diabetic mothers at 12 months and later when the child was 3 ½ years of age. Her study reported that problems in the memory that was noticed during the first year continued into early childhood.

So it becomes essential for pregnant women to know their blood sugar level and employ ways to keep it in control. With healthy diet, regular exercise and frequent tests, you can keep yourselves away from these risks.