Gestational diabetes

Description

Gestational diabetes is the diabetes is first diagnosed during pregnancy (gestation). Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar (glucose). Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby's health.

While any pregnancy complication is concerning, there is good news. During pregnancy can help control gestational diabetes by eating healthy foods, exercising and, if necessary, taking medication. The control of sugar in the blood can keep you and your baby healthy and prevent a difficult birth.

If you have gestational diabetes during pregnancy, usually of their blood sugar returns to its usual level shortly after delivery. But if you have had gestational diabetes, you have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. You will need to be tested by the changes in the blood sugar more often.

Symptoms

Most of the time, gestational diabetes doesn't cause noticeable signs or symptoms. Increased thirst and more frequent urination are possible symptoms.

When to see a doctor

If possible, seek health care early-when you first think about trying to get pregnant, so that your health care provider can determine your risk of gestational diabetes, along with their general well-being. Once you're pregnant, your health care provider will check you for gestational diabetes as part of your prenatal care.

If you develop gestational diabetes, you may need more frequent exams. These are more likely to occur during the last three months of pregnancy, when your doctor will monitor your blood sugar level and your baby's health.

Causes

The researchers do not yet know why some women develop gestational diabetes and others do not. The excess of weight before pregnancy often plays a role.

Generally, several hormones work to keep blood sugar levels under control. But during pregnancy, the hormone levels change, making it more difficult for the body to process sugar in the blood efficiently. This causes the blood sugar to rise.

Risk factors

Risk factors for gestational diabetes are:

  • Overweight or obesity
  • Not to be physically active
  • Having pre-diabetes
  • Having had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy
  • Having polycystic ovary syndrome
  • Have an immediate family member with diabetes
  • Having previously delivered a baby who weighed more than 9 pounds (4.1 kilograms)
  • Being of a certain race or ethnic group, such as Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians and Asian Americans

Complications

The gestational diabetes that is not carefully managed can lead to high levels of sugar in the blood. High blood sugar can cause problems for you and for your baby, including an increased likelihood of needing surgery to deliver (section C).

Complications that can affect your baby

If you have gestational diabetes, your baby may be at higher risk of:

  • Excessive birth weight. If your blood sugar level is higher than the standard range, it can cause your baby to grow too large. Very large babies — which weighs 9 pounds or more — are more likely to become wedged in the birth canal, they have birth injuries or the need for a cesarean birth.
  • Early (preterm) birth. High blood sugar may increase the risk of preterm labor and birth before the due date. Or preterm birth may be recommended because the baby is big.
  • Serious breathing difficulties. Premature babies may experience respiratory distress syndrome — a condition that makes breathing difficult.
  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Sometimes babies have a low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) shortly after birth. Severe episodes of hypoglycemia can cause seizures in the baby. Symbol of the power system, and sometimes an intravenous glucose solution can return the baby's blood sugar level to normal.
  • Obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life. The babies have a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.
  • The fetal death. Gestational diabetes is not treated can result in the death of a baby, either before or shortly after birth.

Complications that may affect you

Gestational diabetes can also increase your risk of:

  • High blood pressure and preeclampsia. Gestational diabetes increases the risk of high blood pressure, as well as pre-eclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy that causes high blood pressure and other symptoms that can threaten your life and the life of your baby.
  • To have a surgical delivery (c-section). You are more likely to have a caesarean section if you have gestational diabetes.
  • Developing diabetes in the future. If you have gestational diabetes, it is more likely to get it again in a future pregnancy. They also have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes as you get older.

Prevention

There are No guarantees when it comes to preventing gestational diabetes — but the more healthy habits you can adopt before pregnancy, the better. If you have had gestational diabetes, these healthy options can also reduce your risk of having it again in future pregnancies or the development of type 2 diabetes in the future.

  • Eat healthy foods. Choose foods high in fiber and low in fat and calories. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without compromising on taste and nutrition. See the sizes of the portions.
  • Keep active. Exercise before and during pregnancy can help protect you from developing gestational diabetes. Goal of 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride your bike. Swim. Short bursts of activity — such as parking farther away from the store when you're running errands or taking a short stroll to breaking all of it.
  • Start the pregnancy with a healthy weight. If you are planning to become pregnant, lose extra weight you ahead of time can help you have a healthier pregnancy. Focus on making permanent changes in your eating habits that can help you through the pregnancy, such as eating more vegetables and fruits.
  • Not to gain more weight than recommended. Gaining some weight during pregnancy is normal and healthy. But gaining too much weight too quickly can increase your risk of gestational diabetes. Ask your health care provider what a reasonable amount of weight gain is for you.

Gestational diabetes

Diagnosis

If you're at risk of gestational diabetes, it is likely to have a screening test during the second trimester, between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy.

If you are at high risk of diabetes — for example, if you are overweight or obese before pregnancy; you have a mother, father, sibling or child with diabetes, or you've had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy — your health care provider may test for diabetes in early pregnancy, it is likely that at your first prenatal visit.

Routine screening tests for gestational diabetes

Screening tests may vary slightly depending on your health care provider, but generally include:

  • Initial glucose challenge test.You are going to drink a glucose syrup solution. An hour later, you'll have a blood test to measure their level of sugar in the blood. A blood sugar level of 190 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 10.6 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), indicating that the gestational diabetes. A blood sugar level below 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is generally considered to be within the standard range in a glucose challenge test, although this may vary by the clinic or laboratory. If your blood sugar level is higher than expected, you will have another glucose tolerance test to determine if you have gestational diabetes.
  • Follow-up glucose tolerance testing. This test is similar to the initial test — except the sweet solution will have even more sugar and your blood sugar will be checked every hour for three hours. If at least two of the readings of blood sugar are higher than expected, you'll be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Initial glucose challenge test. You are going to drink a glucose syrup solution. An hour later, you'll have a blood test to measure their level of sugar in the blood. A blood sugar level of 190 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 10.6 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), indicating that the gestational diabetes.

A blood sugar level below 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) is generally considered to be within the standard range in a glucose challenge test, although this may vary by the clinic or laboratory. If your blood sugar level is higher than expected, you will have another glucose tolerance test to determine if you have gestational diabetes.

Treatment

The treatment for gestational diabetes includes:

  • Lifestyle changes
  • Glucose monitoring
  • Medication, if necessary

The management of their blood sugar levels helps to keep you and your baby healthy. Close management can also help you avoid complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

Lifestyle changes

Your lifestyle, how you eat and move — is an important part of keeping your blood sugar levels in a healthy range. Health care providers often do not advise to weight loss during pregnancy, your body is working hard to keep the growth of your baby. But your health care provider can help you set weight gain goals based on your weight before pregnancy.

Lifestyle changes include:

  • Healthy diet. A healthy diet focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins — foods that are high in nutrition and fiber and low in fat and calories and limits highly refined carbohydrates, including pastries. A registered dietitian or certified diabetes care and education specialist can help you create a meal plan based on your current weight, pregnancy weight gain objectives, level of blood sugar, exercise habits, food preferences and budget.
  • Stay active. Regular physical activity plays a key role in each welfare plan before, during, and after pregnancy. Exercise lowers your blood sugar. As an added bonus, regular exercise can help to alleviate some common discomforts of pregnancy, including back pain, muscle cramps, bloating, constipation, and trouble sleeping.

With your health care provider is well, the goal of 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most days of the week. If you haven't been active for a while, start slowly and gradually increase. Walking, cycling and swimming are good options during pregnancy. Everyday activities, such as housework and gardening are also included.

Glucose monitoring

While you are pregnant, your health care team may ask you to check your blood sugar four or more times a day — first thing in the morning and after meals to make sure that your level is maintained within a healthy range.

Medicine

If diet and exercise are not enough to control their levels of blood sugar, you may need injections of insulin to lower the blood sugar. A small number of women with gestational diabetes need insulin to reach their blood sugar goals.

Some health care providers will prescribe an oral medication to manage blood sugar levels. Other health care providers believe that more research is needed to confirm that the oral medications are as safe and effective as the injectable insulin to control gestational diabetes.

Close monitoring of your baby

An important part of your treatment plan is the close observation of your baby. Your health care provider can check your baby's growth and development with the repetition of the ultrasounds or other tests. If you don't go into labor on your due date, or sometimes before — your health care provider may induce labor. The submission after the due date can increase the risk of complications for you and your baby.

Follow-up after delivery

Your doctor will check your blood sugar level after delivery and again at 6 to 12 weeks to make sure that your level has returned to within the standard range. If the tests are back in this range — and most are — you will have to have your risk of diabetes evaluated at least every three years.

If the tests indicate that the type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, talk with your health care provider about increasing their efforts in the prevention or the beginning of a plan for management of diabetes.

Coping and support

It is stressful to know that you have a condition that can affect your unborn baby's health. But the steps that will help you control your blood sugar level — such as eating healthy foods and exercising regularly can help to relieve stress, to feed your baby and help prevent type 2 diabetes in the future.

You may feel better if you learn as much as you can about gestational diabetes. Talk with your health care team, or read books and articles on gestational diabetes. You can find a support group for people with gestational diabetes useful. Ask your health care team for suggestions.

Preparing for your appointment

You will most likely find that you have gestational diabetes from routine screening during pregnancy. Your health care provider may refer you to additional health professionals who specialize in diabetes, such as an endocrinologist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, or a registered dietitian. One or more of these health care providers can help you learn to control your blood sugar level during pregnancy.

You may want to take a family member or a friend along with you to your appointment, if possible. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.

Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment and know what to expect from your health care provider.

What you can do

Before your appointment:

  • Be aware of pre-appointment restrictions. When you make your appointment, ask if you need to fast for lab tests or do anything else to prepare for the diagnostic tests.
  • Make a list of the symptoms you are experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to gestational diabetes. You may not have obvious symptoms, but it is good to keep a record of anything unusual notice.
  • Make a list of the personal information, including major stresses or recent life changes.
  • Make a list of all medications, including otc medications and any vitamins or supplements you are taking.
  • Make a list of questions to help make the most of your time with your health care provider.

Some basic questions to ask your health care provider include:

  • What can I do to help me manage my condition?
  • Can you recommend a registered dietitian or certified diabetes care and education specialist who can help me to meal planning, a program of exercises and coping strategies?
  • I'm going to need medications to control my blood sugar?
  • What symptoms should prompt you to seek medical attention?
  • Are there brochures or other printed material that I can take? What sites do you recommend?

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider is also likely to have questions for you, especially if it's your first visit. The questions may include:

  • It has experienced an increase of thirst, or excessive urination? If so, when did these symptoms start? How often do you have?
  • Have you noticed any other unusual symptoms?
  • Do you have a father or brother has been diagnosed with diabetes?
  • Have you been pregnant before? Do you have gestational diabetes during previous pregnancies?
  • Do you have other problems in previous pregnancies?
  • If you have other children, how much has weighed at birth?
Symptoms and treatment of Gestational diabetes