Gestational Diabetes - Accu-Chek, Diabetes Information, Learn More About Diabetes

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Gestational Diabetes

Sometimes, women who have never had diabetes before find out they have diabetes during a pregnancy. This is called gestational diabetes,¹ and it affects as many as 7 in 100 pregnant women.³

How Gestational Diabetes Develops

Insulin, created naturally by the body, is necessary to allow blood sugar to enter your cells to provide energy. People with diabetes don't create insulin, don't create enough, or the body cannot use it properly. Blood sugar stays in the bloodstream, instead of fueling the body.

In the case of gestational diabetes, pregnancy hormones and weight gain block the body's ability to use insulin properly, leading to a type of diabetes that usually goes away after the baby is born.¹

If you don't take care of yourself and keep diabetes under control, it can lead to:

high blood pressure

a large baby and the need for a cesarean section at delivery

Effects on the Baby

Gestational diabetes doesn't occur until after the baby's body is formed and it's putting on weight, so high blood sugar won't lead to birth defects.¹ But left untreated, diabetes can harm your baby, causing it to be born too large (and difficult to birth naturally), leading to low blood sugar at birth, or creating breathing problems.² In addition, your baby may be at higher risk of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes as an adult.¹

Testing During and After Pregnancy

Most women are tested for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you're at high risk for gestational diabetes, because you're overweight, have a close relative with diabetes, or some other reason, you may be tested earlier, then again at 24 to 28 weeks.²

Often, you will simply drink a sugary drink, then wait an hour to have your blood tested. That way, the doctor will be able to see how much sugar you're body has been able to take out of your bloodstream. There are other tests that may be needed if this screening comes back out of range. You may be asked to fast for eight hours, then drink a sugary beverage and have your blood sugar checked hourly.^2,3

As your pregnancy progresses, your doctor may recommend an ultrasound to see how your baby is growing, kick counts, or special stress tests to make sure everything is fine.²

Six to 12 weeks after the baby is born, you'll be tested to see if your blood sugar has returned to normal. Then you should be tested for diabetes every year or two.²

Treating High Blood Sugar

Treatment may include working with a registered dietitian or other healthcare professional to create a meal plan that will maintain your blood sugar at the proper levels, exercising to burn off excess blood sugar, testing your blood sugar at home, and using insulin to manage blood sugar levels.³ Each woman and her needs are different, so you'll work together throughout the rest of your pregnancy to fine-tune the combination that keeps your blood sugar at the best levels for you. Not everyone uses insulin, but if you do, it's important to note that insulin doesn't cross over to the baby. It's safe to use during pregnancy.²

You'll also be glad to know that the American Diabetes Association says it's okay to use sugar substitutes in moderation.³

Preventing Problems Later

After you've had gestational diabetes, you're more likely to have it during future pregnancies.¹ What's more, you and your child are both at higher risk of type 2 diabetes down the road.² You can reduce this risk by:

reaching and maintaining a reasonable weight²
being physically active for 30 minutes most days²
making healthy food choices²
breastfeeding your baby, to lower his or her risk, too²

¹ American Diabetes Association. "'Gestational Diabetes." Available at: http://www.diabetes.org/gestational-diabetes.jsp. Accessed May 14, 2007.

² National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. "What I need to know about Gestational Diabetes." Available at: http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/gestational/index.htm. Accessed May 14, 2007.

³ American Diabetes Association. "Gestational Diabetes Mellitus." Diabetes Care 26:S103-S105, 2003. Available at: http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/26/suppl_1/s103. Accessed May 14, 2007.

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