Gestational Diabetes - Could You Have It?

Being diagnosed with diabetes anytime in your life can be a scary moment, but being diagnosed during your pregnancy can be especially emotional for many women. During pregnancy so much of your body is working toward nourishing a healthy baby that we never want to think of being ill. While gestational diabetes is completely manageable, if left alone, can cause many unwanted effects on both mother and baby.

Gestational diabetes is often diagnosed during the second trimester of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is a diabetic condition that only affects a person during their pregnancy. As with any type of diabetes, your body cannot manage blood sugars effectively and the end result can be a dangerously high blood sugar level. The good news about gestational diabetes is that it most often disappears after delivery of the baby, and the mother's blood sugar levels remain level naturally.

The most common symptom of gestational diabetes is being extremely thirsty. This can also be a symptom of pregnancy, so it is usually unmarked by the pregnant woman.

Gestational diabetes is usually found during a routine screening of all pregnant women. The glucose test is completed between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. During this test a woman will drink a sugary substance and have her blood tested one hour later. If the blood sugar levels are within limits, no further testing is required.

If blood sugar levels are too high, a follow-up test will be completed. Fasting will be required for the night prior to the test. You will drink another sugary solution and then have your blood drawn and tested one hour, two hours and three hours after the beginning of drinking the solution. If the second and third blood sugar level tests are elevated, you will then be considered to have gestational diabetes.

Treatment of gestational diabetes can often be limited to only diet changes and exercise. A dietician will meet with you to go over a healthy diabetic diet that will help your body to control your blood sugar levels. This diet typically consists of higher levels of fruits and vegetables and whole grains. You will be told to limit sweets and animal fats.

Exercise will help remove the sugar from your blood and take it to the muscles where it is needed. This will in turn, lower your blood sugar levels. Walking is usually the most recommended form of exercise during pregnancy. There are also many aerobic videos and yoga videos that are specially made for use during pregnancy.

There are some possible complications associated with gestational diabetes. The baby can grow much larger than a baby that is not affected by diabetes. This may lead to a necessary C-section to remove the baby.

The baby may also be affected with a low blood sugar level at birth. This is often checked within the first few hours of birth, and feedings are supplemented if the blood sugar is too low.

A baby that is born to a mother that suffered from gestational diabetes may be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later on in life. This can be from a various amount of reasons, but most likely attributed to fluctuating blood sugar levels in the baby during fetal development.

Jaundice can also be more likely in a baby born to a gestational diabetic mother. Jaundice is generally self healing, and will not be a large cause for concern. The baby will of course be monitored with blood bilirubin levels monitored for the first week of life.

A complication to the mother with gestational diabetes can often be preeclampsia. This is a condition that appears during the last trimester and results in high blood pressure and excessive protein in the mother's urine.

Gestational diabetes during pregnancy may also increase your likelihood of being diagnosed with diabetes later on in life. If you suffer from gestational diabetes with one pregnancy, you will be likely to suffer from this disease with your next pregnancy as well.

It is always wise to follow a healthy life style by controlling your diet and exercising regularly. These two practices will set up healthy habits for your life and lead to a better overall well-being. Be sure to follow all your doctors guidelines during pregnancy, and especially if you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.