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Has your doctor diagnosed you with gestational diabetes (GD or GDM)? While it might feel overwhelming at first, gestational diabetes is much more common than you might think. Know that with careful monitoring and treatment, gestational diabetes can be managed, and you can have a safe and healthy pregnancy. What is gestational diabetes?Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that appears only during pregnancy. Between 6 and 9 percent of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What causes gestational diabetes?Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas that regulates the body's metabolism of fats and carbs. It also helps the body turn sugar into energy. Gestational diabetes occurs when hormones from the placenta block the effect of insulin, preventing the body from regulating the increased blood sugar of pregnancy effectively. This causes hyperglycemia (or high levels of sugar in the blood), which can damage the nerves, blood vessels and organs in your body when left unmanaged. When does gestational diabetes usually begin?Gestational diabetes is usually diagnosed between week 24 and week 28, but it may develop earlier on in pregnancy. Who is most at risk for gestational diabetes?While researchers aren't certain why some women get gestational diabetes while others don’t, they do know that you may be at an increased risk if:
In the U.S., about 90 percent of pregnant women have at least one risk factor for gestational diabetes, which is why universal screening is a practical approach. What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?Most women with gestational diabetes have no symptoms, though a few may experience:
How is gestational diabetes diagnosed?You’ve probably noticed by now that your doctor asks for a urine sample at every office visit. That’s in part to check for sugar in your urine, which can be a sign of gestational diabetes (though one positive screening doesn’t necessarily mean you have gestational diabetes). In addition, the U.S. government now recommends that all pregnant women receive specific screening for gestational diabetes. Between week 24 and 28 of pregnancy, your practitioner will give you a glucose screening test, where you'll drink a sugary liquid and have your blood drawn an hour later. If you have risk factors for gestational diabetes, you may also undergo this test earlier in pregnancy. If your bloodwork picks up high sugar levels, your doctor will have you take a three-hour glucose tolerance test to determine whether you have gestational diabetes. How does gestational diabetes affect me and my baby?With proper treatment and regular monitoring by your practitioner, gestational diabetes can be managed and is not harmful to you or your baby. But if GDM is not treated, and excessive sugar circulates in a mother's blood and the baby's, the potential problems for both mother and baby are serious. Women who have uncontrolled GDM are at risk for having a bigger baby (a condition called macrosomia), making delivery more difficult and C-section more likely. They are also at risk for preeclampsia and stillbirth. And because gestational diabetes is considered a pregnancy complication, pregnant women who have it may be more likely to be induced, since most doctors won't let their pregnancies progress past their due dates. Uncontrolled diabetes could also lead to potential problems for the baby after birth, such as jaundice, breathing difficulties and low blood sugar levels. Later in life, the baby may be at an increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes. But remember, following your doctor's recommendations to manage blood sugar levels can help prevent these potential negative effects. What you can do to prevent gestational diabetes?The following steps can have a big impact on reducing your risk of developing both gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes, both before you conceive and during your pregnancy:
Even if you adopt these healthy habits, it's (frustratingly) still possible to develop gestational diabetes — especially if you have a family history of the disease. Keeping them up, however, will help you manage the condition. How is gestational diabetes treated?Fortunately, you can ward off the potential risks associated with diabetes in pregnancy by monitoring your blood sugar levels. If you’re diagnosed with GDM, doctors and researchers recommend the following:
Diet and exercise are often enough to control gestational diabetes — but if they don’t, your doctor may suggest that you take supplementary insulin to control it. Supplementary insulin can be given in shots or through the oral drug glyburide (a diabetes medication that helps the pancreas produce insulin). Your doctor may suggest additional fetal monitoring in your third trimester, including either nonstress tests and/or biophysical profiles, to make sure your baby’s heart rate, amniotic fluid levels and movements are normal. How is gestational diabetes managed after pregnancy?Research has shown that women with gestational diabetes have a 3 to 7 percent chance of developing type 2 diabetes within five to 10 years — which is why it’s important to make healthy habits routine during pregnancy and keep a check on your health after your pregnancy is over. Here are a few ways to stay healthy after baby is born:
How does GD affect your baby after birth?Babies who are born to mothers with gestational diabetes should be tested for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), even if they have no symptoms, with a simple blood test after birth. This happens immediately after delivery, while you and baby are still in the hospital. If you had gestational diabetes, your baby could be at a higher risk for health problems later in life, including type 2 diabetes, according to the CDC. As he grows, practicing those same good eating and exercise habits you learned during pregnancy as a family will help protect his health — and yours.
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