Gestational Diabetes develops only in pregnant women with no previous history of diabetes. Nearly 135,000 women develop gestational diabetes each year. In most cases gestational diabetes clears up on its own after women have delivered their babies. All pregnant women should be tested for gestational diabetes between their 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy.

Genetics. It tends to run in the families.

Obesity. Because it increases insulin resistance.

Pregnant women produce various hormones essential to the baby's growth. However these hormones may also make the mother insulin resistant. All pregnant women have some degree of insulin resistance. But if resistance becomes full-blown gestational diabetes, it usually appears around the 24th week of pregnancy. That's why all pregnant women should be screened for gestational diabetes around that time.

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