
March 6, 2006
Other
Question from New York, New York, USA:
I had gestational diabetes when I was pregnant. Is my eight month old baby at risk for having diabetes? Should I ask the pediatrician to test her?
Answer:
The risk is not now, but later. We are learning that gestational diabetes may mean an increased risk of obesity and impaired glucose tolerance as children get older. I’m not certain we understand fully why. Certainly, you are at risk for diabetes over the next decades. Diabetes runs in families; that is for sure. It may be just that or there may be some changes that help predispose to diabetes risk. You both need to be healthy, exercise frequently and do your best to control your weight.
LD