Understanding Gestational Diabetes
The newest online edition of the journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology is reporting that women who gain weight between pregnancies are more likely to develop gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy as a cascade of maternal hormones effect the body’s ability to utilize insulin to control blood sugar levels. Insulin is responsible for detecting changes in blood sugar levels and keeping them within normal range–however thanks to a mother’s changing body, insulin in these moms isn’t able to keep sugar levels in check, resulting in diabetes. (more…)