Treatment For Gestational Diabetes

Diabetes that develops during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. If a woman has diabetes before she is pregnant, this is called pre-existing diabetes, not gestational diabetes.

About four percent of pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes. The hormone that encourages the growth of the fetus is suspected as a cause of gestational diabetes since it inhibits the mother’s ability to metabolize glucose.

Birth defects are not a risk of gestational diabetes since gestational diabetes occurs late in the pregnancy. Since gestational diabetes increases the baby’s size, the baby may be at increased risk of injury during birth.

Newborns of mothers who had gestational diabetes are prone to breathing problems. The newborns may also have very low blood glucose levels at birth and be susceptible to obesity and type II diabetes later in life.

Testing for gestational diabetes includes drinking a glucose solution and timed blood testing. A blood sample may be drawn at the beginning of the test. Women are typically tested again an hour after drinking a glucose solution and may be tested after a longer period of time.

Diabetic diets are the first treatment for gestational diabetes. The obstetrician may have the pregnant woman with gestational diabetes meet with a dietician or nutritionist who will devise a diabetic diet.

The diabetic diet for gestational diabetes typically includes three meals and two snacks a day. The diabetic diet includes a variety of foods. The dietitian may give the pregnant woman in exchange list to use with the diabetic diet. The exchange list will have good suggestions and serving sizes for each of the food groups.

Multiple times a day, the pregnant woman with gestational diabetes will need to check her blood sugar levels. These readings are then reported to the doctor’s office where they will be used to determine if the gestational diabetes is under control. If the gestational diabetes is not effectively managed with a diabetic diet, insulin injections may be necessary.

Women and newborns rarely have lasting effects from gestational diabetes after birth. The woman may have an increased risk of type II diabetes. The effects of gestational diabetes are usually minimal if it is properly managed.

Tagged with: conditions • Diabetes • diabetic diet • diabetic diets

Filed under: Diabetes

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