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SavePregnancy Symptoms & Complaints: Gestational Diabetes
This temporary condition has extremely subtle symptoms but needs to be managed well when it occurs.
What you may be experiencing: Up to 4 percent of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes, a temporary condition that often has no symptoms. Gestational diabetes occurs when the body has trouble properly using insulin, a hormone that converts sugars (or glucose) from food into energy. A pregnant woman develops gestational diabetes when hormones made by the placenta interfere with the work of her body's insulin.
How do you know if you have gestational diabetes? If symptoms exist, they are likely to be subtle ones, such as fatigue and excessive thirst. The condition usually begins around weeks 20 to 24; the best way to detect it is the glucose screening test, usually given between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy. Any pregnant woman may develop the condition, but there's an increased risk for mothers who are over 25, overweight, have a family history of diabetes, have too much amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios), or have given birth previously to a very large infant, a stillborn child, or a child with a birth defect.
If it's not controlled, gestational diabetes increases your chances of producing a macrosomic, or overly large, baby (greater than 9 pounds, 14 ounces), who may not pass safely through the birth canal. Your baby's chances of having health problems such as jaundice or hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) are also increased. Gestational diabetes doesn't usually pose a threat to the mother's health during pregnancy, and it usually disappears shortly after delivery. But if you had it in your first pregnancy, you're at greater risk for developing the condition in subsequent pregnancies.
What helps: The good news about gestational diabetes is that you and your practitioner will likely be able to manage the condition, thus preventing further complications. Your blood sugar level will be carefully controlled through diet, exercise, and regular tests. Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for additional guidance. He or she will probably want to closely monitor your baby via ultrasound, stress tests, non-stress tests, and/or biophysical profiles as your pregnancy progresses. A few women may require insulin injections to maintain blood sugar levels, but these shouldn't be harmful to the growing baby. Most mothers-to-be with gestational diabetes are able to carry to full term and give birth to a healthy child.
All content here, including advice from doctors and other health professionals, should be considered as opinion only. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.
