Gestational diabetes is a disorder in which women that
previously did not carry diabetes test positive for high
blood glucose levels during their pregnancy.

Though not uncommon, it is thought that anywhere between
three and ten percent of pregnant women are diagnosed with
gestational diabetes sometime during their pregnancy.

But just what does this diagnosis mean to the health and
welfare of the mother and her unborn child?

Since no specific cause has been identified for gestational
diabetes, scientists don’t know how to prevent it. The
closest they have come to understanding is that it is
believed that hormones produced during pregnancy reduce a
woman’s sensitivity to insulin and the result is high blood
sugar levels.

Every pregnant woman is tested for gestational diabetes
during her prenatal care visits because generally there are
very few symptoms.

If the mother has gestational diabetes, babies are at a
higher risk for complications. These are typically growth
abnormalities and low blood sugar.

The good thing is that gestational diabetes is completely
reversible and women who otherwise have good control over
their glucose levels can decrease the risk of these birth
problems.

In fact, women who can keep their gestational diabetes
under complete control are known to give birth to perfectly
healthy babies.

The down side is women who develop gestational diabetes
during their pregnancy now run a higher risk of developing
type 2 diabetes post-pregnancy. Some children are prone to
develop childhood obesity and develop type 2 diabetes later
in life.

Pregnant women who develop gestational diabetes are
generally treated with diet modification and exercise, but
in some extreme cases they are administered an
anti-diabetic drug, such as insulin. The goal of treatment
is to reduce the risks for both m other and child without
endangering either.

I did not become familiar with gestational diabetes until recently when my sister-in-law and my best friend were both diagnosed with it within a week. Many women I know, myself included, have made it through pregnancies without having any serious problems like gestational diabetes.

Basically, gestational diabetes is a disease that can come on during pregnancy but that usually disappears once the baby has been born. In some women, pregnancy results in their blood sugar leve…

I did not become familiar with gestational diabetes until recently when my sister-in-law and my best friend were both diagnosed with it within a week. Many women I know, myself included, have made it through pregnancies without having any serious problems like gestational diabetes.

Basically, gestational diabetes is a disease that can come on during pregnancy but that usually disappears once the baby has been born. In some women, pregnancy results in their blood sugar levels getting out of balance. A pregnant woman might realize that she is having blood sugar problems on her own or it might take a doctor to determine that her levels are not normal. Regardless of how it is discovered, gestational diabetes is a serious issue that needs to be handled with caution and care throughout a woman’s pregnancy and after.

When my sister-in-law and my closest friend were struggling with feeling abnormally up and down during their pregnancies, their doctor took blood tests and determined that their blood sugar levels were being affected by their pregnancies and their food choices. They were both diagnosed simply by having this blood work done. At first they were hesitant and scared because gestational diabetes sounded huge and they didn’t know how relatively simple the treatment process could be.

Gestational diabetes, because it is primarily an imbalance of blood sugar, can often be regulated by changes in diet and levels of exercise. The amount of changes that are necessary are dependant upon how poor of habits the women have to begin with. My sister-in-law and my friend had to make different levels of changes to their diets, but neither had to make such significant changes that their lifestyle was radically altered. Mostly their changes consisted of going on a low-sugar and low-carb eating plan. Gestational diabetes brings a risk of the baby getting to large during its gestational period and needing to be delivered early or by c-section. The more the pregnant mother cuts down on sugar intake, the less likely it is that the baby will get too large to be delivered vaginally.

If you are pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant in the near future, take some time and learn about ways to prevent gestational diabetes. It is the best for you and your baby. Prevention is always a better option than having to find a solution to high blood sugar levels. Be wise with your food and exercise choices from the start and you should be able to avoid dealing with gestational diabetes in your pregnancies. Talk with your doctor and take every possible precaution.