Some women are considered to be at low risk for developing gestational diabetes and are not required to be screened for the disease during pregnancy. However, any woman can develop the disease, so many doctors routinely screen all women for gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Pregnant women who meet all the following criteria have a low risk for developing gestational diabetes. You have a low risk if you:1
- Are not a member of a high-risk ethnic group. High-risk ethnic groups include Latin Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, African-Americans, and Pacific Islanders.
- Do not have a family history of diabetes.
- Are younger than 25.
- Were not overweight before you became pregnant.
- Have not had above-normal blood sugar levels in the past.
- Have had normal pregnancies in the past.
Credits
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Lois Jovanovic, MD - Endocrinology |
| Last Updated | December 4, 2007 |
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