Gestational Diabetes (Diabetes That Starts During Pregnancy)

The Basics

Written by the doctors and editors at UpToDate пїЅ пїЅ

What is gestational diabetes? " пїЅ Gestational diabetes, like "regular " пїЅ diabetes, is a disorder that disrupts the way your body uses sugar. пїЅ пїЅ

All the cells in your body need sugar to work normally. Sugar gets into the cells with the help of a hormone called insulin. If there is not enough insulin, or if the body stops responding to insulin, sugar builds up in the blood. That is what happens to people with diabetes. пїЅ пїЅ

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that affects some women when they are pregnant. It happens because pregnancy increases the bodys need for insulin, but the body cannot always make enough. пїЅ пїЅ

What does gestational diabetes do to a woman and her baby? " пїЅ It can make the baby get too big (heavier than 9 pounds). That is a problem, because a big baby can get hurt if it cannot fit easily through the vagina. A big baby can also damage his or her mother's body during delivery. Sometimes, the baby will not fit and the mother has to have a c-section (surgery to get the baby out). пїЅ пїЅ

Gestational diabetes also increases the risk that a woman will have a life-threatening problem during pregnancy called preeclampsia. (Preeclampsia causes high blood pressure, among other things.) пїЅ пїЅ

Will I get gestational diabetes during my pregnancy? " пїЅ It is hard to predict which women will get gestational diabetes. But some women are more likely to get it than others. You are more likely to get gestational diabetes if you: пїЅ пїЅ

Had it before
Are overweight
Have diabetes in your family
Are older than 25

Will I be tested for gestational diabetes? " пїЅ Yes. All pregnant women are tested for gestational diabetes. пїЅ пїЅ

Most women should be tested when they are about 6 or 7 months pregnant. (That's the same as 24 to 28 weeks pregnant.) But women at high risk for diabetes might need to be tested earlier in pregnancy. пїЅ пїЅ

There are a few ways to test for diabetes. A common way is to have you drink a special, sweet drink. Then, an hour or more later, your doctor or nurse will take some blood. That way he or she can see how high your blood sugar gets after you eat sugar. пїЅ пїЅ

How is gestational diabetes treated? " пїЅ To treat your gestational diabetes, you will need to check your blood sugar often. This is something you can learn how to do on your own with an easy-to-use machine. Most women can control their blood sugar level by changing their diet. Some women also need insulin shots or other diabetes medicines. пїЅ пїЅ

How should I change my diet? " пїЅ A registered dietitian can tell you how to change your diet. Each woman is a little different, so there is no single diet that is right for everyone. Even so, most women should: пїЅ пїЅ

Avoid sweets and fatty foods
Choose bread and rice made with whole grains

Should I exercise? " пїЅ You do not need to exercise to treat gestational diabetes. But being active will help control your blood sugar. If you already exercise, keep doing what you have been doing. If you have not been exercising and want to start, ask your doctor or nurse what kind of activity is safe for you. пїЅ пїЅ

How often do I need to see the doctor or nurse? " пїЅ Women with gestational diabetes need to see the doctor or nurse more often than other pregnant women. How often you go will depend on how you are doing at each visit, and on whether you use insulin. During these visits, the doctor or nurse will: пїЅ пїЅ

Check on your baby
Ask about your diet
Make sure your blood sugar levels are where they should be
Adjust your dose of insulin (if you use insulin)

Can I have a normal delivery? " пїЅ If your blood sugar levels have been close to normal, chances are good that you will have a normal delivery. During delivery, your doctor or nurse will keep checking your blood sugar to make sure that it does not get too high. пїЅ пїЅ

What happens after I give birth? " пїЅ Your diabetes will probably go away and your blood sugar will probably go back to normal. If you were taking insulin, you probably will not need it anymore. Even so, your doctor or nurse should check your blood sugar to make sure your levels get back to normal and stay that way. Women who have gestational diabetes are at very high risk of getting "regular " пїЅ diabetes later in life. You should get checked for diabetes every few years for the rest of your life. пїЅ пїЅ

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. пїЅ пїЅ

This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014. пїЅ пїЅ

Topic 15435 Version 3.0 пїЅ пїЅ

Release: 22.8 - C22.208 пїЅ пїЅ

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Gestational Diabetes (Diabetes That Starts During Pregnancy)

The Basics

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer

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