Diabetes During Pregnancy. Are You at Risk?

Gestational Diabetes (GDM) affects pregnant women by causing high blood sugar, which can also affect the baby’s health. Luckily, there are ways that women can control their gestational diabetes by exercising, eating healthier, and sometimes taking medication. Typically, shortly after delivery of the baby, blood sugar levels will return to normal. While these are all helpful factors, the signs and symptoms of gestational diabetes are difficult to notice and are different for everyone. While seeing a doctor is the only way to confirm your gestational diabetes, there are factors that give you a greater risk for this disease.

Some factors that increase your risk for gestational diabetes are being overweight, having diabetic relatives, being older than twenty-five, having reproductive conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, or having high blood pressure or a heart condition. This does not mean that if one or more of these factors is true about you, you will have gestational diabetes, it simply means there is a higher risk you might. With that being said, it is always recommended that you get tested for gestational diabetes by your doctor.

Some risks that can affect your baby if you have gestational diabetes can include low blood sugar, type 2 diabetes later in life, a premature birth, excessive birth weight, and respiratory distress syndrome. To ensure the health of you and your child, it is best to take prevention measures into account.

To try to prevent gestational diabetes, make sure you are eating healthy and exercising while trying to conceive, and the entire term of your pregnancy. It also helps to lose excess weight before pregnancy. It is better to think of this as a permanent change, rather than something you only do while you are expecting a child. This insures that if or when you become pregnant again, you have been increasing your prevention for awhile.

If you are at risk for Gestational Diabetes or have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes, talk to your healthcare provider. Ask for a Consult with Dr. G at Valley Diabetes & Obesity. For more information, visit us at https://www.drgdiabetes.com/services/gestational-diabetes

Author

Dr Gopika Gangupantula Dr. Gopika Gangupantula, MD, FAAFP is a Board-Certified Family Physician, Diabetes Obesity Specialist, and Fellow, American Academy of Family Physicians. She has also received Fellowship training in diabetes to provide the utmost support for each patient. If you need help managing your Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes, please contact our clinic at http:/www.DrGDiabetes.com or call us at (209) 497-4677. We are open Monday-Friday, 9AM – 6PM.