Gestational Diabetes

What Increases Your Risk

You have an increased chance of developing gestational diabetes if:

• You are 25 or older when you become pregnant.
• You have had gestational diabetes before.
• You have given birth to a baby who weighed more than 9 lb (4 kg).
• You weighed more than 9 lb (4 kg) when you were born.
• You have a parent or sibling who has type 2 diabetes.
• You are not physically active before pregnancy.
• You are obese (your body mass index [BMI] is 30 or higher).
• You are a member of a racial/ethnic group that has a high risk of developing diabetes, such as Latin Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, African Americans, or Pacific Islanders.
• You have polycystic ovary syndrome.
• You have a dark skin rash on the back or your neck or in folds on your body.
• You take corticosteroid medicine.
• You have a history of pre-diabetes.
• You have a history of problems during pregnancy.

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Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS	Last Updated: December 4, 2007
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Lois Jovanovic, MD - Endocrinology
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