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| What is gestational diabetes? |
Almost everyone knows someone who has diabetes. An estimated 20.8 million people in the United States—7.0 percent of the population—have diabetes, a serious, lifelong condition. Of those, 14.6 million have been diagnosed, and 6.2 million have not yet been diagnosed. In 2005, about 1.5 million people aged 20 or older were diagnosed with diabetes. For additional statistics, see the National Diabetes Statistics fact sheet online at www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/statistics or call the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse at 1–800–860–8747 to request a copy.
What is gestational diabetes?
Some women develop gestational diabetes late in pregnancy. Although this form of diabetes usually disappears after the birth of the baby, women who have had gestational diabetes have a 20 to 50 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 5 to 10 years. Maintaining a reasonable body weight and being physically active may help prevent development of type 2 diabetes.
About 3 to 8 percent of pregnant women in the United States develop gestational diabetes. As with type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes occurs more often in some ethnic groups and among women with a family history of diabetes. Gestational diabetes is caused by the hormones of pregnancy or a shortage of insulin. Women with gestational diabetes may not experience any symptoms.
Some women with gestational diabetes may need Insulin. This means without taking insulin each day a pregnant women with gestational diabetes can have health problems including life-threatening complications before or when giving birth. If a women with gestational diabetes takes too little or too much insulin she and her baby can suffer serious medical complications or even rapid death.
It is CRITICAL for all people who need insulin to have enough insulin AND blood glucose testing supplies to manage their care each day. IPump, thanks to our generous donors, is able to provide financial assistance for the purchase of insulin and free diabetes supplies to those in need -- including women with gestational diabetes.
Your gifts really do save lives!
This information is an excerpt from NIH Publication No. 06–3873, September 2006, reprinted with permission courtesy of the National Institutes for Health.
What is type 1 diabetes? (including juvenile diabetes, latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), bronze diabetes (from hemochromatosis), maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), and cystic fibrosis related diabetes (CFR)
What is type 2 diabetes? (also called "adult onset diabetes")
Thank you -- Donors, Sponsors & Affiliates
We are truly, truly grateful to our many supporters. Without help from others we could not continue giving assistance to diabetics in need. To see who has helped us, which really means, helped those who have received our assistance, please use the links below:
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