Gestational diabetes basics
Why pregnancy hormones drive insulin resistance, the DIPSI screening test, and the lifetime Type 2 risk that follows GDM.
Gestational diabetes affects roughly 1 in 5 pregnancies in India — one of the highest rates worldwide.
Why it happens
Pregnancy hormones make the body more insulin-resistant (normal — it helps deliver glucose to the growing baby). For some women, the pancreas cannot keep up and blood sugar rises.
Screening
The DIPSI test is standard in India — 75g glucose drink with a single 2-hour blood draw, usually at 24-28 weeks. Diagnosis if 2-hour value ≥140 mg/dL.
After delivery
Blood sugar usually returns to normal within days. But: 50% of women with GDM develop Type 2 within 10 years. Get screened with HbA1c yearly. Breastfeeding lowers future risk by about 15%.