Gestational Diabetes

Q. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. My daughter is now 6 months old and I am still diabetic. I thought this was going to go away. Will it still? Could I have prevented this?

A. In most cases, women with gestational diabetes (diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy) see their blood glucose values return to normal after childbirth, only to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes sometime in the next 7 - 10 years, although every individual case is different.

Once you are diagnosed with diabetes you have it for the rest if your life. It is very possible that with appropriate meal planning, physical activity and perhaps medication, you may be able to maintain your blood glucose levels in the normal range, but diabetes will not "go away."

Could it have been prevented? It's hard to say. Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed in people who have the right combination of genetics and lifestyle factors such as being overweight and inactive.

What is that combination? Unfortunately we don't know.

We do know that the more active you are and the healthier your weight, the less of a chance you will develop type 2 diabetes - regardless of your family history.