Gestational Diabetes is a form of Diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. This condition can occur when the mother’s normal pregnancy-related hormones cause an increase in insulin resistance. According to the CDC, approximately 2-10% of U.S. pregnancies are affected each year by gestational Diabetes.
“Gestational Diabetes is when the mother’s body doesn’t use its insulin properly, effectively, or efficiently,” says Alexis Harper, APN. She is an advanced practice nurse in endocrinology at Franciscan Health Olympia Fields.
Gestational diabetic can increase the chances of high blood pressure in pregnancy for expectant mothers. This can increase the chance that the baby will be born weighing over 9 pounds, which could make delivery more difficult.
OBGYNs routinely screen expectant mothers for gestational diabetics between weeks 24-28 of pregnancy to address these potential problems. This is standard prenatal care.
How Is Gestational Diabetes Diagnosed?
The initial glucose challenge test, a screening test for gestational Diabetes that is performed during the second trimester of a mother-to-be’s pregnancy, is used to screen her. The test involves mothers-to be drinking a glucose solution, and having their blood sugar levels measured an hour later with a blood test. If the blood sugar level of the first test is higher than normal, a second screening will be ordered.
During the second screening, also known as the follow-up glucose tolerance testing, expectant mothers are again required to drink glucose solutions. Their blood sugar levels are monitored for three hours each hour. Doctors will diagnose gestational Diabetes if the mother-to-be’s blood sugar levels remain above normal for a longer time.
How Is Gestational Diabetes Managed?
Pregnant mothers suffering from gestational Diabetes may manage their condition with moderate exercise and a healthy diet high in fresh fruits and vegetables, low in sugar and fat.
Harper states that as long as your OBGYN gives clearance, even moderate exercise (such as walking) can naturally lower insulin resistance.
If lifestyle and diet changes are not sufficient to stabilize blood sugar levels in gestational diabetes cases, doctors may prescribe diabetic treatment that is safe for use during pregnancy.
Monitoring Gestational Diabetes
Women-to-be diagnosed with gestational Diabetes can monitor their blood sugar levels at home several times per day by using fingerstick tests and a continuous glucose monitoring system. Expectant mothers can be confident that their blood sugar levels remain within safe limits by monitoring their babies’ frequently.
Does Gestational Diabetes Go Away After Childbirth?
Most cases of gestational diabetics resolve themselves after labor and delivery.
Harper states that gestational Diabetes can be cured in a large percentage of cases, perhaps 80 to 90% of them.
Expectant mothers who are diagnosed with gestational diabetics during pregnancy will need to have their blood glucose checked approximately eight to twelve weeks after delivery. This is to ensure that their sugar levels are back to normal.
A diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes will be given to a mother whose gestational Diabetes persists after childbirth. Long-term treatments and interventions may also be required. Doctors can recommend diabetes management medication that is safe for breastfeeding mothers.
Gestational Diabetes In Future Pregnancies
Harper states that women who have experienced gestational diabetics have a higher risk of developing it again in future pregnancies. Sometimes, doctors might recommend that women who have had gestational Diabetes in the past plan to screen for it earlier than 24 weeks into their next pregnancy.
Diabetes Diagnosis: Future Risk
Most cases of gestational diabetics resolve within a few months of childbirth. However, women with gestational Diabetes have a higher risk of developing prediabetes later in their lives. Harper states that Type 2 diabetes is likely to develop in 50% of gestationally diabetic women within five to ten years after the birth of their baby.
This statistic might seem discouraging but women can lower their risk of developing Diabetes by prioritizing long term, healthy weight management, good nutrition, and adequate exercise during the first year and subsequent years.
