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Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy
Everything You Need to Know About Gestational Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, Diet, Diagnosis, and Treatment
In This Article
What is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes where a non-diabetic pregnant woman develops high blood sugar levels.
According to various reports, nearly 10 percent of pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes every year.
Gestational diabetes typically is a temporary thing. It occurs when the body is unable to produce insulin in the right amounts. It is often called carbohydrate intolerance or glucose intolerance during pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes and a healthy baby? Yes.
Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes
- Pregnant with Multiples, such as twins or triplets,
- a family history of diabetes,
- overweight or obese before pregnancy,
- gained too much weight while pregnant,
- Having a history of gestational diabetes in an earlier pregnancy,
- more than 25 years old,
- having high blood pressure,
- having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS),
- taking glucocorticoids.
Symptoms & Signs of Gestational Diabetes
- Excess thirst
- Frequent urination
- Nausea past the first trimester
- High levels of fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Frequent skin infections
- Frequent bladder infections
- Frequent vaginal infections
Getting Tested
Expecting mothers all get tested for gestational diabetes while they are pregnant. Those who are in the high-risk category are often tested earlier in pregnancy.
On average, screening for gestational diabetes takes place when a woman is between 24 and 29 weeks pregnant. At this time, the placenta is producing large amounts of hormones that lead to insulin resistance. So it is very likely for one to develop gestational diabetes during this time.
Pregnancy Glucose Test Procedures includes:
1: Initial glucose screening test: it is a routine test during pregnancy to check blood glucose (sugar) level.
Don’t make any dietary changes before this test.
Test procedure
- You need to drink a syrupy glucose solution
- One hour later, you'll have a blood test to check your blood glucose level.
If the test results indicate a high blood glucose level, more testing (glucose tolerance test) is done to determine if it is, in fact, gestational diabetes.
2: A glucose tolerance test. It is to diagnose gestational diabetes.
If you are taking any medicine, consult your doctor first.
Test procedure
- Do not eat or drink anything for eight hours before the test.
- You will have blood drawn from a vein in your arm.
- You need to drink a syrupy glucose solution
- Two hours later, your blood sugar will be rechecked.
Glucose Tolerance Test - Abnormal values
| Interval | Abnormal reading |
|---|---|
| Fasting | 95 mg/dl or higher |
| One hour | 180 mg/dl or higher |
| Two hours | 155 mg/dl or higher |
| Three hours | 140 mg/dl or higher |
What if You Are Diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes?
The approach to gestational diabetes depends on the class of the condition you have. There is the A1 class and the A2 class. Those diagnosed with the A1 class can manage their blood sugar levels with diet and exercise. Those who have the A2 class will need to take insulin or other types of medications to manage the condition.
Treatment for gestational diabetes includes:
- Lifestyle changes
- Blood sugar monitoring
- Medication, if necessary
Regardless of the class of gestational diabetes you have, chances are the condition will go away once you give birth. However, it does raise your risk of developing type 2 diabetes when you get older.
A couple of months after your delivery, you need to do some testing to determine if your blood sugar levels have gone back to normal.
Complications Related to Gestational Diabetes
With early diagnosis and proper treatment, the condition will pose a risk to a few complications.
Risks include:
- Having a large baby, of 10 pounds or more
- Increased risk of C-section
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in the newborn
- Jaundice in the newborn
- High blood pressure during pregnancy
- Premature delivery, which can cause breathing and other problems
- Developing type 2 diabetes later in life
Ways to Prevent Gestational Diabetes
- Lifestyle changes
- Healthy weight before pregnancy
- Monitor pregnancy weight gain
- Diet- eating high-fiber, low-fat foods
- Exercise- Walking, swimming, and prenatal yoga
Gestational Diabetes After Delivery
Gestational diabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy.
However, in 90% of cases, Gestational diabetes goes away soon after delivery.
You will have a fasting glucose blood test between 6–13 weeks after birth. Regardless of whether diabetes goes away after the delivery, 50% of women with gestational diabetes develop type 2 diabetes later. Therefore, it's recommended to take a test for diabetes every 3 years.
Prevention or Delay of Type 2 Diabetes
Here are some tips to reduce risk of type 2 diabetes if you had gestational diabetes:
- Exercise
- Try to lose pregnancy weight within six months of delivery
- Get blood sugar tested regularly
- Breastfeed
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Eat a good diet
If you plan to have another baby, it's highly likely to get gestational diabetes again. Therefore consult your doctor first.
The risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes in the future is higher for women with Gestational Diabetes.
If you have Gestational diabetes, always stay in contact with your primary doctor and make sure to go on all your appointments. Try to reach and maintain a healthy weight by eating a proper diet and exercise regularly during pregnancy. Women with gestational diabetes can have healthy babies and go on to lead healthy lives after delivery with no diabetes.
