5. Gestational diabetes
This type of diabetes only affects women who are pregnant, though it does not affect all pregnant women. When a woman who is pregnant has elevated blood sugar levels, she will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Though the cause of this type of diabetes is not known, there are some theories.
The placenta, an organ that only pregnant women have, produces hormones that support the development of the baby. These hormones can also block the effects of insulin in the expectant mother’s body, which makes it difficult for the woman to the insulin her body produces.