Gestational Diabetes Risk Factors
Some women might have a greater risk for developing gestational diabetes. The concerning and primary gestational diabetes include the following:
- Being overweight or obese
Being overweight prior to pregnancy leads to an increase in BMI during pregnancy in certain women which can result in the development of gestational diabetes. There is a significant association between pre-pregnancy BMI and blood sugar levels. In addition, older age and the gain in BMI from 15 to 20 weeks from conception have a potentially higher risk of developing gestational diabetes. Women with a pre-pregnancy BMI higher than 30 have a stronger effect on gestational diabetes.
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
The imbalance of hormones among women suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome raises the possibility of developing gestational diabetes once they become pregnant.
- Diabetes in an immediate member of family
Having a family history of diabetes can put you in danger of developing gestational diabetes whenever you become pregnant as the genes play a potential role in causing metabolic syndromes like diabetes mellitus.
- Race
Women who are of a certain race or ethnicity such as being Asian American, Hispanic, black, or American Indian can put a woman at a higher possibility to develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
- Previous child birth of an overweight baby
Previous delivery of a child weighing more than 4.1 kilograms can also put the mother at a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes whenever she becomes pregnant again.
- Advanced maternal age
Development of gestational diabetes in pregnant mothers of advanced age might be due to a number of reasons including obesity, family history, or ethnicity. Older women having obesity might therefore be more likely to develop gestational diabetes. The advanced maternal age has a strong impact in the development of gestational diabetes which might be due to insulin resistance.