There is a third kind of diabetes, though it is much less common than types 1 and 2. It is called gestational diabetes because it begins during pregnancy, which doctors call the gestational period.

If a woman has someone in her family who already has diabetes, she is a more likely candidate for gestational diabetes. If she is over 30 years old, and specially if she is overweight, she has a greater chance of developing diabetes during her pregnancy.

Pregnancy is a time of additional stresses to the human body. The body may fail to produce enough insulin to meet the need during this time. Approximately one percent of all women may develop symptoms of diabetes during the last half of pregnancy.

In 98 percent cases, the diabetes will go away once the baby is born. However, a woman who has developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy will most likely develop it again during later pregnancies. She also has a higher chance of developing diabetes later in life.

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