Gestational Diabetes - What it Means to You

If your obstetrician tells you that have gestational diabetes, what exactly does that mean to you? What do you have to do differently in terms of your habits? What are the symptoms, and what's the worst that can happen if you don't do anything about it? Why did she even bother to test for the condition?
Gestational diabetes is a medical condition that can occur during pregnancy. It means that your blood sugar is elevated. It typically happens sometime in the second half of pregnancy, and it can happen to about 15 percent of women who are pregnant.
Some women have a higher chance of developing this condition during pregnancy than others. This includes women who had it the last time they were pregnant, are excessively overweight, have a family history of the disease, have had a stillborn, or have previously had a baby that weighed at least 10 pounds. Nevertheless, there are women who will experience the condition who don't have any of these risk factors.
The symptoms of gestational diabetes can be difficult to decipher. Some women might have some of the same symptoms as this condition, but don't actually have the disease. That's because they're so similar to many of the side effects of being pregnant, such as vomiting, nausea, more frequent urination, and extreme tiredness. Other symptoms are being thirstier, experiencing yeast or bladder infections, and blurred vision. Some women don't have any symptoms at all even if they have the condition, which is why it's so important for all women to be tested for the disease during the early part of their pregnancy.



If you have this condition and don't treat it, you can cause potential harm to both yourself and the fetus. The fetus has a higher chance of either being too small or too big for its stage of development. If it's too big, you will have a higher chance of requiring intervention during delivery. This can include requiring a cesarean section or forceps delivery. There is also a higher chance of shoulder dystocia with a vaginal delivery. Infants born to mothers who have this condition are more likely to have low blood sugar, jaundice, or other complications. As well, these infants are less likely to be fully mature at birth, making them more susceptible to respiratory distress syndrome due to immature lungs.
Pregnant women who experience gestational diabetes are at an elevated risk of developing the type 2 form of the condition at some point in their lives. The threat is even higher for those who need insulin injections. As well, the children of these women are more likely to be obese, and are more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And they're more prone to a condition known as glucose intolerance.

The number of cases of diabetes is increasing throughout the planet each year. It's a challenging health problem that leads to a rise in blood glucose levels in an individual, which can result in serious damage to the body and can even be fatal. If you want to learn more about gestational diabetes and other forms of the disease, and also get a better understanding of the symptoms, causes, and treatment options, visit the Diabetes Treatment site.