While it is not clear what causes gestational diabetes, some pregnant women develop insulin resistance, which means that the cells in their body do not respond to insulin normally. Every cell in our body uses glucose (sugar) for producing the energy needed for the cells to do their jobs. The glucose is derived from the foods you eat, primarily from carbohydrates. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is the main chemical messenger that tells the cells that it is time to take up glucose. Insulin is also involved in messaging the liver to take up glucose and transform it into the storage form of glucose known as glycogen.  Insulin is also involved in a wide range of other functions like protein and fat metabolism. If the cells become insulin resistant, they ignore or can’t respond to the signal from insulin. This can increase the levels of glucose in the blood. When this happens, the pancreas responds by producing even more insulin.  The problem is that since the insulin has no effect on the insulin-resistant cells, the blood glucose levels can keep rising.  The body’s response is to convert the high levels of glucose in the blood into fat, and that can set up a scenario of chronic inflammation and other disorders like full blown Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease. During pregnancy, if insulin resistance is not properly controlled, you can develop gestational diabetes. It can have a number of effects on your and your baby's body. The main effect on the baby of uncontrolled gestational diabetes is increased fat in the blood stream, which leads to increased birth weight.  These babies are also at higher risk for difficult deliveries due to the size, breathing problems, obesity, lower than normal blood sugars and, as adults, Type 2 diabetes. The mom is at higher risk for cesarean section, Type 2 diabetes after pregnancy, and high blood pressure before and after delivery. Often, there are no symptoms of gestational diabetes, which most often begins about halfway through the pregnancy. This can make it hard to look for. However, when symptoms do occur, they can include many of the same symptoms of Type 2 diabetes. These symptoms include:  Impaired vision due to blurriness or other issues General tiredness Increased infections along the skin and in the bladder and vagina Nausea and vomiting through the duration of the pregnancy Increased appetite that can be accompanied by weight loss Frequent urination Increased thirst. To test for gestational diabetes, your physician will order blood tests to test for blood sugar levels. He or she will also order a glucose tolerance test to determine how well your body is dealing with sugars. Your baby can be monitored as well to determine if his size is normal for his gestational age, which is usually done by ultrasound, and to test the baby’s heart rate by using a fetal monitor. You can be at risk for gestational diabetes if you have had gestational diabetes during previous pregnancies or have already had a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds at birth. You are also at risk if you are overweight or if you have a parent, brother, or sister with type 2 diabetes.  You are also more at risk if, before you are pregnant, you were diagnosed with prediabetes, a metabolic syndrome, or insulin resistance. Metabolic syndromes are a group of issues that include high or increased blood pressure, belly and waist excess weight, higher than normal blood sugar levels, and high or risky cholesterol levels.  If you are African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic/Latina, or Pacific Islander American, you are also at an increased risk. Other syndromes can also put you at risk. If you have a type of hormonal disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), you are more likely to have gestational diabetes. PCOS is a condition where a woman’s ovaries contain numerous cysts, which leads to fertility and menstrual problems.
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