Diabetes in pregnancy Dr Rob Hicks Some women develop diabetes during pregnancy, but the condition disappears once the baby is born. However, if this happens, there's a greater chance of the mother developing diabetes in later life.

If diabetes occurs during pregnancy, the mother often has no symptoms. The condition is usually only detected during routine antenatal checks.

Symptoms such as tiredness, excessive thirst, drinking lots of water, or concerns about the growth of the unborn baby may raise a suspicion of gestational diabetes, which is then confirmed with blood tests.

Some of the risks to both mother and baby include:

• the baby being small, or growing too large and making delivery difficult
• increased risk of pre-eclampsia
• increased risk of premature birth
• increased risk of the baby suffering respiratory distress syndrome when born

Gestational diabetes is treated with diet and exercise. If this isn't enough, then insulin injections are used.

Pregnant women should be looked after by a team of hospital experts who specialise in caring for women with diabetes in pregnancy.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Roger Henderson in January 2009.
First published in April 2001.