Is Gestational Diabetes Genetic?

Kaela | 26 Dec 2025

Introduction

This question comes up a lot in pregnancy. And it usually comes up with a little fear behind it.

A woman will say, “My mom had sugar in pregnancy… is that going to happen to me too?” Or she’ll mention a sister, an aunt, someone in the family who had gestational diabetes and needed insulin. Then the worry starts turning into certainty, like it’s already written.

At Sanford Pharmacy, we hear this almost every week. And I get why. Pregnancy already makes people feel like their body is doing unpredictable things. Add family history to the mix and it feels even less in your control.

So yes — gestational diabetes can be genetic, and it can run in families. But it’s not as simple as inheritance. It’s more like a higher tendency. And pregnancy is the thing that brings it out.

Understanding that usually takes away some of the guilt and panic. It also helps women focus on what actually matters: early screening, small daily habits, and managing it well if it happens.

What gestational diabetes actually is

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is when blood sugar rises during pregnancy in someone who didn’t have diabetes before.

It usually shows up in the second or third trimester. Not because you suddenly ate something wrong. It’s mostly timing. Around that stage, the placenta starts producing more hormones, and those hormones make the body more resistant to insulin.

Insulin is the hormone that helps sugar move out of the blood and into the cells. Pregnancy hormones make insulin work less effectively. That’s actually normal — the body does it so there’s enough glucose available for the baby.

Most women compensate by making more insulin. Their pancreas just ramps up production. But for some women, the pancreas can’t keep up with the demand, and blood sugar starts rising. That’s gestational diabetes.

So in a way, pregnancy itself causes the problem environment. The body just handles it differently depending on the person.

What people mean when they ask “is it genetic?”

When someone asks is gestational diabetes genetic, they usually mean, “Did I inherit this?” or “If it runs in my family, is it guaranteed?”

It’s not guaranteed.

Genetic risk is more like a higher chance. It means your body may already have a tendency toward insulin resistance, even before pregnancy. Not enough to cause diabetes in daily life, but enough that pregnancy pushes it over the line.

That’s why two women can have similar diets and similar weights, and one gets GDM and the other doesn’t. It isn’t always about what someone did. Sometimes it’s about how their body is built.

How genetics can increase the risk of GDM

Some families carry a stronger tendency for insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance basically means the body needs more insulin than usual to keep blood sugar stable. The pancreas has to work harder from the start.

Then pregnancy hits. Insulin resistance increases for everyone during pregnancy, but if you already had that tendency, your pancreas may struggle to keep up.

So genetics can increase GDM risk through:

• a stronger insulin resistance tendency

• a pancreas that doesn’t respond as quickly to higher demands

• less flexibility in blood sugar control

It’s not that the genes “cause” gestational diabetes directly. It’s that they can make your baseline closer to the edge.

Family history that raises GDM risk

There are certain family histories that tend to raise risk more than others.

If any of these apply, doctors take it seriously:

• A parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes

• A mother or sister who had gestational diabetes

• Strong family history of prediabetes

• Multiple relatives with insulin resistance, belly weight, high sugar, or metabolic syndrome

This is why family history and gestational diabetes are often linked. It’s not only about pregnancy. It’s about how the body handles glucose in general, and pregnancy just exposes it.

Ethnicity and genetic risk

This part sometimes surprises people, but it’s well known in medical practice.

Certain groups have higher rates of gestational diabetes, including:

• South Asian

• Hispanic

• Black

• Native American

• Pacific Islander

It’s not only genes, but genetics does play a role. Lifestyle and environment matter too, but the baseline risk tends to be higher in these populations.

So when doctors talk about genetic factors in gestational diabetes, ethnicity is one of the pieces they consider, even if it’s not said out loud.

Genes aren’t the whole story

Even if there’s no family history, gestational diabetes can still happen.

Pregnancy hormones increase insulin resistance in everyone. Every pregnancy pushes the body. Some women just don’t get enough warning signs until the glucose test.

That’s why you’ll see women with no diabetes in the family, healthy weight, active lifestyle, and still they develop GDM. It happens. Pregnancy is a metabolic stress test, and not everyone passes it the same way.

So yes, gestational diabetes hereditary risk exists, but pregnancy itself is still the main driver.

Other big risk factors besides genetics

Genetics gets blamed first, but there are other major risk factors that can matter just as much.

Some of the most common ones:

• Being overweight before pregnancy

• PCOS

• Age (risk increases after 25–30)

• Having gestational diabetes before

• Previous baby with high birth weight

• High blood pressure or metabolic syndrome

Often these overlap with insulin resistance too. That’s the common thread.

Why genetics + lifestyle often work together

This is where things get misunderstood.

Someone can carry a genetic tendency and never develop diabetes, because their lifestyle keeps insulin resistance low. Another person might have only mild genetic risk, but weight gain, inactivity, stress, and pregnancy hormones combine and push them into GDM.

So it isn’t genes vs lifestyle. It’s usually both.

Pregnancy is the trigger, genetics is the tendency, and lifestyle influences how strongly that tendency shows up. That’s why two women from the same family can have very different pregnancy experiences.

Can you prevent gestational diabetes if it’s genetic?

You can’t guarantee prevention. But you can lower risk, and even when GDM happens, you can make outcomes much better.

Things that help:

• Gaining pregnancy weight in the recommended range

• Balanced meals (steady carbs, enough protein, enough fiber)

• Walking regularly, especially after meals

• Avoiding long gaps between meals

• Screening early if high-risk

Prevention isn’t perfect, but it’s still worth doing. And women who take these steps often have smoother blood sugar control even if they do get diagnosed.

How doctors screen for gestational diabetes

Most women get screened around 24–28 weeks.

Usually it starts with the 1-hour glucose challenge test. If that’s high, then they do the 3-hour glucose tolerance test.

Some women get tested earlier if risk is strong. Especially if there’s a mother had gestational diabetes will i get it type situation, or a history of prediabetes.

Timing matters because insulin resistance increases later in pregnancy. A test at 14 weeks might be normal and still change by 28 weeks.

What happens if you get diagnosed

The diagnosis sounds scary, but treatment is pretty structured and manageable.

Most women start with:

• diet changes

• glucose monitoring

• activity like walking

If needed, medication or insulin is added. Needing insulin is not failure. It just means your body needs support.

Most women with gestational diabetes deliver healthy babies when blood sugar is controlled. That part is worth repeating because people forget it when they’re stressed.

Does having GDM mean you’ll get diabetes later?

It increases the risk, yes.

After pregnancy, blood sugar often returns to normal. But women who’ve had GDM have a higher chance of developing type 2 diabetes later, especially if insulin resistance remains.

That’s why postpartum screening matters. And lifestyle changes after pregnancy really do help. Even small improvements can lower long-term risk.

Does gestational diabetes affect the baby?

If blood sugar is uncontrolled, risks increase.

Baby may grow larger than expected. There can be early blood sugar dips after birth. Delivery can be more complicated.

But when blood sugar is controlled, those risks drop a lot. That’s why GDM management is less about blame and more about staying steady.

Common questions people ask

If my mom had it, will I definitely get it?
No. Higher risk, not guaranteed.

Can I have GDM even if I’m thin?
Yes.

Does it go away after pregnancy?
Usually yes, but follow-up testing matters.

Will I get it again in my next pregnancy?
If you had it once, risk is higher next time.

Is it my fault?
No. Pregnancy hormones and insulin resistance are the real drivers. You didn’t cause this.

Sanford Pharmacy tips for managing GDM risk

Once someone is diagnosed, the practical side starts. Testing, numbers, routines, meals.

At Sanford Pharmacy, pharmacists help with:

• choosing blood sugar meters, strips, lancets

• explaining testing times and what numbers mean

• guidance on safe supplements and prenatal vitamins

• helping build a routine so monitoring doesn’t become overwhelming

• checking if any medications affect blood sugar

That support matters because GDM management is daily life, not one doctor appointment.

Conclusion

Gestational diabetes can be genetic, but it’s not inherited like a guarantee.

Pregnancy hormones increase insulin resistance for everyone. Genetics can raise the chance, and lifestyle can influence whether that risk shows up strongly.

Early screening and steady habits make a huge difference. And if you do get diagnosed, it’s very manageable with the right support. If you’re ever unsure about testing, food timing, or what’s “normal,” Sanford Pharmacy pharmacists are usually a calm and practical place to get answers.