Gestational Diabetes: Dealing with This Pregnancy Induced Condition

Some say it wasn't so bad. Others say it was unendurable. Either way, around your 28^th week of pregnancy you will be subjected to a gestational diabetes test. And for about 4% of women, the initial and secondary tests will come back positive. So, now that you have been diagnosed with this pregnancy induced diabetes, what comes next?

Let's go back to the test. An hour long, the test will most likely take place at your local doctors office or hospital laboratory. The morning before, you are to fast, which will keep the results more accurate. You have all of five minutes to finish off the sugary drink, which comes in a few bland flavors. Keeping down the drink for an entire hour is essential, otherwise the test must be retaken another day. When the hour is over, your blood will be drawn and sent to the lab, where your sugar levels will be recorded.

Once your levels are reported to your doctor, you will be informed if you failed the test. In that case, you will have to be retested, this time under a three hour time frame and twice the amount of liquid. Blood will be drawn each hour, giving three sugar level readings. If two or more of the readings are over the limit, you will be notified that you have gestational diabetes.

It can be an extremely scary moment. What did you do to bring this upon yourself, your unborn child? Should you be concerned about this diagnosis? What will it mean for you in the future? How will this affect the rest of your pregnancy?

Truth is, gestational diabetes is very serious. Left unmanaged, this form of diabetes often leads to the birth of a macrosomial, or very large, baby. Macrosomial babies often go through a rough labor and delivery, with problems being caused as the shoulders are being born, and that can cause damage to the mother as well as the baby. Cesarean sections are often required. The child could also be faced with many problems after birth, due to the extra insulin in their systems. Studies show that babies with extra insulin at birth are at a higher risk for obesity and diabetes later in life.

Treatment of gestational diabetes varies from woman to woman, depending on the severity of her diabetes. Blood glucose testing is often required several times a day with an at home meter, and the results can help you work with your doctor to make sure your diabetes is under control. For some women, a change in diet and exercise is all that is needed. For others, insulin injections may be required. Communication between you and your doctor is essential in keeping your treatment on track, and changes in your treatment may happen at any time. You may be referred to a dietician to go over your meals, and to alter your food intake. A diet lower in sugars and carbohydrates can help control your sugar levels. Physical activity may be scheduled, or you may be instructed to take a daily walk to help keep sugar levels lower.

A small percentage of those diagnosed may actually be dealing with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It will most likely not be known during the pregnancy, and the assumption will be that you have gestational diabetes. Around 6 weeks postpartum you should be given another diabetes test. This will show whether your diabetes resolved after the birth, and if not, you can be further tested to uncover the type of diabetes you truly have.

After being diagnosed, you may worry about future pregnancies. Statistics show that a many as 2 in 3 women will have diabetes with subsequent pregnancies. And many women will develop type 2 diabetes later in life, a condition linked to gestational diabetes because the underlying cause of both is similar. Making permanent lifestyle changes, like those made during your pregnancy, can help to keep this form of diabetes from developing.

Although there is much comforting information about gestational diabetes and how to deal with it, there still is nothing that can be said to a very pregnant mother who has been diagnosed. Coping with the aches and pains of the last trimester can be enough for one person, without the added worries of diabetes. As a mother who has dealt with gestational diabetes, I see how important it is to take a step back and make a plan for dealing with this diagnosis. It is very manageable, and after a few rough weeks, I realized that a few changes in my daily activity and food intake made all the difference. I gave birth to an extremely healthy and average weight baby, which left me feeling even better about how I dealt with my case.

Gestational diabetes is a very serious matter, and rightfully, it should be. But what it should not do is control your life. Learning to manage it correctly can be the difference between enjoying your pregnancy and worrying about your pregnancy. This form of diabetes will be with you for the rest of your pregnancy, but it does not have to take the place of your main focus, the baby.