Gestational Diabetes and Your Pregnancy

Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy when the body does not tolerate glucose but outside of pregnancy the woman does not have diabetes. There are those that may be more susceptible to gestational diabetes and these women include those t are African or Hispanic, older then 25 during pregnancy, have diabetes in their family, have previously given birth to a baby larger then nine pounds, are obese, suffer from recurrent infections and may have had unexplained miscarriages.

There are really no symptoms associated with gestational diabetes and if some symptoms do occur then they tend to be mild and not life threatening. Once the baby has arrived blood glucose levels return to normal. A few mild symptoms associated with gestational diabetes include weight loss despite the increased appetite, nausea, vomiting, increased urination, increased thirst, frequent infections, fatigue and blurred vision.

There are symptoms that ca occur in the baby if you have gestational diabetes. Babies tend to be large from mothers with gestational diabetes and this can cause birth injuries, the baby has a greater chance of having diabetes or being obese, jaundice, and hypoglycemia. It is very rare for the unborn baby to die in the late stages of pregnancy if the mother has gestational diabetes.

If you are pregnant then it is a good idea to be tested for gestational diabetes between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy as there are no symptoms so you may be unaware you have gestation diabetes. As with other types of diabetes treatment, treatment for gestational diabetes deals with keeping blood glucose levels from fluctuating. If you have gestational diabetes then your doctor will closely monitor your blood glucose levels as well as frequently checking your baby’s heartbeat, size and health of the fetus. Following a specific diet can be an effective way to treat your gestational diabetes. If following a diabetic diet does not control blood glucose then there are oral medications available.