Gestational diabetes is the term use to woman who is pregnant and has diabetes. A woman who has diabetes only during pregnancy has gestational diabetes.
Our intestine digests foods including carbohydrates. When carbohydrates are digested, it converts into a sugar called glucose. Glucose acts as the body’s main source of energy. To convert glucose into energy, the pancreas would do the needful through the aid of a hormone called insulin. When we have diabetes, our body does not produce insulin, so instead of converting glucose to energy it remains a sugar. Or in other way the cells cannot use glucose properly and sugar builds up in the blood and diabetes happen.
There are two ways a pregnant woman would detect if she has gestational diabetes. First, the pregnant woman is advice to fast for eight hours. After eight hours without food and water, the blood sugar will then be measured. After measuring the blood sugar, the pregnant woman is allowed to drink one glass of juice and after two hours of drinking juice, a health care professional will then measure her blood sugar. The higher is the second blood sugar test, the mother has gestational diabetes. Second, the blood sugar is measured one hour after drinking sweets, when a pregnant woman has a high level of sugar in the blood test, she has gestational diabetes.
Mostly, a woman who has gestational diabetes gives birth to a healthy baby if they are able to control blood sugar through proper diet, exercise and watching a normal weight. But if a pregnant woman is not responsible enough to take care of her blood sugar and becomes negligence, the following risks may happen:
• The baby is born bigger than the normal size. Caesarian operation is advised.
• The baby may suffer from hypoglycemia or low blood sugar level.
• Baby’s skin is yellowish Jaundice
• The baby may suffer from Respiratory Distress Syndrome

A pregnant mother who has gestational diabetes may keep herself healthy and the baby too if she follows certain rules and foods to be avoided strictly.