Pregnancy & Insulin Resistance

Insulin resistance during pregnancy can lead to gestational diabetes.

All women develop a small degree of insulin resistance during pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic. But in about 4 percent of pregnancies, insulin resistance is great enough to cause gestational diabetes, a temporary condition characterized by high blood sugar levels.

Definition

Gestational diabetes can result when a previously non-diabetic woman develops insulin resistance during pregnancy. This means her body cannot properly use insulin, a hormone the body needs to convert food into energy.

Cause

The placenta produces hormones that block insulin, creating greater insulin resistance as hormone levels increase with the progression of pregnancy. If the pancreas does not create enough extra insulin to counteract the insulin resistance, diabetes can occur, according to the University of Virginia Health System.

Effects

Uncontrolled insulin resistance during pregnancy can cause the baby to grow abnormally large and suffer from low blood sugar and breathing problems after birth.

Treatment

If you're diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your doctor will recommend exercise and a specific diet to control blood sugar. Some women also require daily insulin injections.

Considerations

Gestational diabetes usually goes away after delivery, although affected women are at a greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life, says the American Diabetes Association.

References

• University of Virginia Health System
• American Diabetes Association
• The Mayo Clinic