Diabetes in pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. This is when the mother has an extradinarly high level of sugar in her blood. It will usually dissapear stright after the birth.

Diabetes develops when the body can’t produce enough insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas which regulates the amount of sugar available in the blood.

If sugar is found in your urine at one of your regular check-ups you will be checked for diabetes with a glucose tolerance test. You will have blood taken, drink a high glucose drink, wait an hour or so then have another blood test to see how your system has handled the glucose. The main risk to your baby is that it will gain too much weight. The treatment will usually just be a controlled diet.