Carbohydrate
Sugars made up of oxygen and hydrogen that your body gets from starchy and fibrous foods, and uses for energy.

Caesarean section
Also known as a C-section. Surgical delivery of a baby through an incision made in the mother's abdomen and then her uterus.

 Cholesterol
A waxy, fat-like substance made by the liver that helps your cells function. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs.

Dermatologist
A healthcare professional who specialises in caring for your skin.

Diabetes
A condition that causes your body to make little insulin or not use insulin properly.

Diabetologist
A healthcare professional who specialises in caring for people with diabetes.

Endocrinologist
A healthcare professional who specialises in treating endocrine glands, like the pancreas which is responsible for making insulin.

Gestational diabetes
High blood glucose that occurs ONLY in pregnant women who do not already have diabetes.

Glucagon
A hormone made by the pancreas that can be given by injection to make your liver produce glucose in order to raise your blood glucose.

Glucose
The sugar made by your body from the food you eat.

Glycohaemoglobin
A laboratory test that measures your average blood glucose level over the last 2 to 3 months. Also called A1C, HbA1C and Haemoglobin A1C testing.

Haematocrit
The percentage of red blood cells in whole blood. Haematocrit levels can be affected by several factors including lung disease, anaemia or malnutrition. Low or high haematocrit levels can affect blood glucose meter accuracy.

HbA1c
A laboratory test that measures your average blood glucose over the last 2 to 3 months. Also called A1C or Haemoglobin A1C.

HDL
High-density lipoprotein, known as the "good cholesterol" because it carries away the sticky (LDL) cholesterol.

Haemoglobin
A protein inside your red blood cells. It is the part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Haemoglobin also carries glucose, because glucose can stick to all kinds of proteins in your body.

Haemoglobin A1C testing
A laboratory test that tells your average blood glucose level over the last 2 to 3 months. Also called A1C, HbA1C and Glycohaemoglobin testing.

Hyperglycaemia
High blood glucose.

Hypoglycaemia
Low blood glucose.

Insulin
A hormone made by beta cells inside the pancreas. With each meal, beta cells release insulin to help the body use or store the blood glucose it gets from food.

Juvenile diabetes
A condition that usually occurs in children and young adults, and causes your body to make little or no insulin. Also called Type 1 diabetes.

Ketoacidosis
A medical emergency that can lead to coma or death and is caused by too many ketones in your bloodstream.

Ketone
A type of acid left over when your body burns some of its own fat for fuel because it can't get enough glucose to use for energy.

LDL
Low-density lipoprotein, known as the "bad cholesterol" because it sticks to the walls of your blood vessels.

Lipid profile
A series of lab tests including LDL, HDL and triglycerides.

Lipids
Blood fats.

Macrosomia
Large baby. A condition possible with gestational diabetes due to extra insulin and sugar, which cause the baby to grow bigger than normal.

Mmol/L
The standard way to measure blood glucose in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Mmol/L means millimoles per litre.

Mmol/mol
The new unit of measure of the HbA1c test. HbA1c results will continue to be given as % too, until 2011.

Podiatrist
A healthcare professional who specializes in caring for your feet. Also called a foot doctor.

Polyhydramnios
A condition possible with gestational diabetes that results in too much amniotic fluid, which is the liquid inside the uterus. The uterus is the part of the body that holds the baby during pregnancy. Polyhydramnios can cause the baby to be born too soon.

Pre-eclampsia
A condition possible with gestational diabetes or pregnancy in general that causes high blood pressure; protein in the urine; swelling in the face, hands and feet; and greater weight gain. Also called toxaemia.

Protein
Amino acids that your body gets from foods like eggs, fish and meat, and uses for energy and to build and repair tissues.

Triglycerides
Another kind of fat in your blood that can go up after you eat a high-fat meal.

Type 1 diabetes
A condition that usually occurs in children and young adults, where your body makes little or no insulin. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, which means that the body makes antibodies against itself. Also called Juvenile Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes
A condition that usually occurs in people over the age of 40, whereby your body makes less insulin or your cells to resist the insulin that it makes. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic disease, which means it affects how energy is used in the body.

Urinary tract infection
An infection that is caused by bacteria in one of the tracts through which urine passes.

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