What Is Gestational Diabetes?
2. Risk Factors
Some of the risk factors of gestational diabetes are a history of gestational diabetes (with a previous pregnancy), prediabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose, polycystic ovary syndrome, family history of type 2 diabetes (first-degree relative), higher maternal age (above the age of 35 years old), overweight, previous pregnancy of a child with high birth weight (above 4,000 grams or 8lb 12.8 oz), ethnicity (Afro Caribbeans, African Americans, Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, Native Americans, and those from South Asia), and smokers.
One study also found that women who conceive with men who are over the age of 55 years have a higher risk of gestational diabetes.
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