Gestational Diabetes Symptoms and Treatment
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Gestational diabetes refers to a condition where a pregnant woman who has never had diabetes suddenly has high levels of blood sugar. Approximately 4% of pregnant women will experience gestational diabetes.
Studies have not conclusively shown the actual causes of Gestational diabetes. We do know that it occurs when your body is not able to make and use all of the insulin it requires during pregnancy. Hormones from the placenta that help the baby in development may block the action of the mothers insulin in her body. This is termed insulin resistance and it makes it harder for the mothers body to use insulin. Without enough insulin, glucose cannot leave the blood and be changed to energy. Glucose builds up in the blood to high levels. This is called hyperglycemia.
The symptoms of gestational diabetes can be similar to normal pregnancy symptoms.
Some of the symptoms of gestational diabetes can include:
- you are more hungry than normal
- you are more thirsty than normal
- you need to urinate frequently.
Beyond these, gestational diabetes often has no symptoms.
If you are experiencing these symptoms and also have certain risk factors, your health care provider may suggest a test for gestational diabetes. Risk factors can include:
- obesity
- a history of gestational diabetes
- a family history of diabetes
- you have previously given birth to a baby larger than 9 pounds
- sugar is detected in your urine during a prenatal visit
- you have had an unexplained stillbirth
- you have had a baby with a birth defect
- you have high blood pressure.
The objective for the treatment of gestational diabetes is to get the pregnant woman’s glucose levels within normal limits. At the very least, a good treatment plan will typically include exercise or some other form of physical activity, as well as specific dietary instructions. Treatment for gestational diabetes can also include daily testing of blood glucose levels, or insulin injections. Treatment of gestational diabetes can help to lower the risk of having to have a cesarean section birth. If you have gestational diabetes, your health care provider should be able to help determine what sort of treatment plan is best for you.
Typically, gestational diabetes goes away after pregnancy. However, once you’ve had gestational diabetes, your chances are 2 in 3 that it will return in future pregnancies. In some women pregnancy uncovers type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It can be difficult to determine whether these women have gestational diabetes or have just started showing their diabetes during pregnancy. Also, there seems to be a link between gestational diabetes and the tendency to develop type 2 diabetes in the years to come.
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