Am I at risk for gestational diabetes?
Although it is unknown why some women develop gestational diabetes and some don’t, there are risk factors that have been proven to, in some way, tie into this diabetes that affects about 1 in 20 pregnancies.
Risk factors of gestational diabetes:
• Women older than age 25
• If you have pre-diabetes or if a close family member, such as a parent or sibling, has Type 2 diabetes
• If you had gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy, if you delivered a baby who weighed more than nine pounds or if you had an unexplained stillbirth
• Significantly overweight with a body mass index of 30 or higher
• For unclear reasons, women who are African American, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian are more likely to develop gestational diabetes
East Jefferson General Hospital offers a class on gestational diabetes. The class explains when and how gestational diabetes may affect your pregnancy and if you might be at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. Symptoms, screenings and management will be discussed.
If you are interested in the gestational diabetes class or think you may be at risk for gestational diabetes, call East Jefferson General Hospital’s HealthFinder at (504) 456-5000 to help you find a physician who is right for you.
