Effects Of Race On Gestational Diabetes

Many people are not aware of gestational diabetes, nor do they realize the effects of race on gestational diabetes. In fact, the section of the community that is at risk of developing gestational diabetes in the first place – women – rarely know about this condition at all. Moreover those women who are even more likely to suffer from the problem by virtue of their racial background too often are unaware about this serious condition.

But what is gestational diabetes in the first place? Gestational diabetes is a temporary medical condition experienced only by pregnant women, during their second and third trimesters.  It is not a particularly prevalent problem, affecting only approximately four percent of pregnant women. That said, undiagnosed and untreated it can be very dangerous for the health of both mother and baby.

Hormonal changes along with the growth demands of the baby, increase a pregnant woman's insulin needs by two to three times that of normal. Without insulin, a pregnant woman cannot access the glucose in the food she consumes, compromising her ability to function and support her baby’s growth. Because the glucose is not being transferred into cells, it remains in the bloodstream. For women that suffer from gestational diabetes, regulating the levels of insulin are crucial to successful treatment, with the focus being on normalizing blood glucose levels to that of a non-diabetic pregnant woman.

Thankfully gestational diabetes is quite treatable. The most important thing is diagnosing it early, and treating it straight away. Medical research shows the effects of race on gestational diabetes. Indeed the research shows that as well as the traditional risk factors (such as prepregnancy weight, the mother’s age and a family history of diabetes), first generation Hispanics, Aboriginals, Asians and women from the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East are at an increased risk for gestational diabetes.

With the effects of race on gestational diabetes clear, if you call from one of these ethnic backgrounds you should speak to your physician about the possibility of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy.