Gestational diabetes Health Article

Definition

Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (diabetes) that starts or is first diagnosed during pregnancy.

Alternative Names

Glucose intolerance during pregnancy

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Risk factors for gestational diabetes include:

• African or Hispanic ancestry
• Being older than 25 when pregnant
• Family history of diabetes
• Giving birth to a previous baby that weighed more than 9 pounds
• Obesity
• Recurrent infections
• Unexplained miscarriage or death of a newborn

Symptoms

Usually there are no symptoms, or the symptoms are mild and not life threatening to the pregnant woman. Often, the blood sugar (glucose) level returns to normal after delivery.

Symptoms may include:

• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Frequent infections, including those of the bladder, vagina, and skin
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Weight loss in spite of increased appetite

Signs and tests

Gestational diabetes may not cause symptoms. All pregnant women should receive an oral glucose tolerance test between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy to screen for the condition.

Treatment

The goals of treatment are to keep blood sugar (glucose) levels within normal limits during the pregnancy, and to make sure that the fetus is healthy.

WATCHING YOUR BABY

Your health care provider should closely check both you and your fetus throughout the pregnancy. Fetal monitoring to check the size and health of the fetus often includes ultrasound and nonstress tests.

• A nonstress test is a very simple, painless test for you and your baby. A machine that hears and displays your baby's heartbeat (electronic fetal monitor) is placed on your abdomen. When the baby moves, its heart rate normally increases 15 - 20 beats above its regular rate.
• Your health care provider can look at the pattern of your baby's heartbeat compared to its movements and find out whether the baby is doing well. The health care provider will look for increases in the baby's normal heart rate, occurring within a certain period of time.

DIET AND EXERCISE

Managing your diet can give you the calories and nutrients you need for your pregnancy, control your blood sugar (glucose) levels, and avoid the need to take medications. Regular exercise also can help keep your blood sugar under better control.

Eating a balanced diet is a key part of any pregnancy. The food you eat helps your baby grow and develop inside of you. Because every pregnancy is different, your doctor and dietitian will create a diet just for you.

• The best way to improve your diet is by eating a variety of healthy foods. Your doctor or nurse will prescribe a daily prenatal vitamin. They may suggest that you take extra iron or calcium. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you're a vegetarian or are on some other special diet.
• Remember that "eating for two" does not mean you need to eat twice as many calories. You usually need just 300 extra calories a day (such as a glass of milk, a banana, and 10 crackers).

For details on what you should eat, see: Diabetes diet

If managing your diet does not control blood sugar (glucose) levels, you may be prescribed diabetes medicine by mouth or insulin therapy. You will need to monitor your blood sugar (glucose) levels during treatment.