This leads to an overload of sugar in the blood stream. Too much sugar in the blood can cause many health problems. In pregnancy, it can cause the baby to grow so large that it must be born by Cesarean section. The newborn baby of a diabetic mother may also have breathing problems or low blood sugar. Gestational diabetes is a temporary form of diabetes brought on by pregnancy.
Women can have gestational diabetes without knowing it.
For this reason, all pregnant women are checked for high blood sugar. At every prenatal visit, your urine is checked for signs of diabetes. Around the 28th week of pregnancy, a blood sample is checked for sugar. Your healthcare provider will tell you when to schedule the blood test. You have had other babies who weighed more than eight and a half pounds at birth.