Gestational diabetes is a rare yet serious condition that causes high blood sugar and insulin resistance in pregnant women. There are many reasons a woman might develop this condition during pregnancy, including obesity, high blood pressure or prediabetes. If undiagnosed, a child may become too large and cause other birth complications, too. Regardless of the cause, however, it is a doctor’s responsibility to provide an accurate diagnosis if a mother develops this potentially serious condition.

According to the Mayo Clinic, most women do not experience noticeable symptoms of the condition. Still, if someone has any or all of the risk factors, her doctor should be proactive in diagnosing the condition if any of the following warning signs exist:

1. Excessive thirst and urination

It is not uncommon for pregnant women to urinate more than usual due to the pressure a fetus places on the bladder. If this is accompanied by excessive thirst, however, it could be a sign that gestational diabetes is developing. If a woman experiences thirst that is seemingly insatiable, she should discuss this symptom with her doctor so that gestational diabetes can be either diagnosed or ruled out.

2. Tingling and numbness sensations

Sometimes women develop tingling and numbness in the hands during pregnancy due to carpal tunnel. It can also be a symptom of gestational diabetes, though, and this is especially true if she experiences such sensations throughout other parts of the body. Because diabetes damages the nerve fibers, it may be the culprit of this symptom. 

3. Serious exhaustion and fatigue

Of course, it is normal for pregnant women to be more tired than they would usually be. Pregnancy is hard work, and its stress on the body will be apparent. Fatigue that leaves a mother incapacitated could be more than typical pregnancy tiredness. Excessive exhaustion is yet another symptom of gestational diabetes that women should be aware of.