The Truth Behind Gestational Diabetes

Hearing that you have gestational diabetes can be a frightening experience for any pregnant woman. Approximately 3-5% of all pregnant women in the United States will develop this condition, but it is not always a major pregnancy complication. Here is what to expect from the tests you will have to take, to affects on you and the baby, and treatment options.

The test for this is usually performed between 24 and 28 weeks, but may be performed earlier if the doctor believes you are at a risk for developing it. The test is usually performed by an oral glucose tolerance test. During the test, the you will drink a sweetened drink that contains 50 mg of glucose. After an hour, the person performing the test will take a blood sample and measure how well the glucose was processed by your body. If the blood glucose level is greater than 130 mg/dL, the doctor will have you come back for a second test. For that test, you will have to fast before the test for at least eight hours. You will be given an even more concentrated drink with glucose, and they will do a blood test every three hours to see how your body metabolizes higher amounts of glucose. If two out of the four tests they will do come back abnormal, you are considered to have gestational diabetes.

There are usually no symptoms of this form of diabetes, although some women will experience high blood sugar, increased thirst and need to urinate, and increased hunger. However those are normally experienced later in pregnancy anyway. Gestational diabetes does usually go away right after the baby is born, but it does affect the mother during the pregnancy, and can affect the baby after he is born. During pregnancy, having high blood sugar can cause the baby to grow larger than normal. In some cases, a caesarean section is necessary, but 70 percent of women with gestational diabetes are able to deliver vaginally. After birth, the baby may have lower blood sugar because of the fact he was producing more insulin than normal to control the extra sugar he was receiving from you during pregnancy. The baby is also at a higher risk for developing jaundice, and have a higher risk of being born with congenial defects. They can have respiratory problems, but those usually clear up with time. There is also the risk of the baby developing type II diabetes or being overweight later in life. As for the mother, it is not a threat to your health, although you are at risk for developing gestational diabetes with other pregnancies and for developing type II diabetes later in life.There are a few ways to control gestational diabetes. Most popular is diet control and exercise. A diet that is well balanced, and low in sugar and fat can help control blood sugar levels naturally. Gentle exercise such as walking also helps. Sometimes, however, that is not enough, and you may need daily insulin injections. The extra insulin will not affect the baby in any way. It actually does not go through the placenta so it never reaches the baby.

If you do find out that you have gestational diabetes, do not panic. Many women have experienced it before and have made it through it. Your doctor can help you with any questions you may have, and he will get you on the right track with a healthy diet and exercise plan. And just remember, it's not permanent. Almost all cases of gestational diabetes disappear on its own after delivery.