Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Practice Bulletin No. Diabetes and pregnancy — Gestational diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Dec. Gestational diabetes. Mayo Clinic; Durnwald C. Diabetes mellitus in pregnancy: Screening and diagnosis. Accessed Jan. American Diabetes Association. Standards of medical care in diabetes — Diabetes Care. Mack LR, et al. Gestational diabetes — Diagnosis, classification, and clinical care.
Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. So if you have been having higher readings towards the end of the week, give yourself plenty time to get in touch with them.
High blood sugar levels levels over your target mean that excess glucose is in the bloodstream that cannot be processed due to being insulin resistant diabetic and the excess glucose is being passed through to the baby.
The excess sugar can cause many different complications in the baby, some of which can be fatal if blood sugar levels are not controlled. To read more about the complications high blood sugar levels can cause, please read more here. A common question that comes up, is why are the targets used for gestational diabetes so much lower than that used for other types of diabetes? The answer is simply that the targets used for diabetes during pregnancy are targets that have been proven by evidence based research to have a beneficial impact on the baby and related complications.
You may experience some symptoms when you have high blood sugar levels which suggest you are having a hyper. Symptoms may include the following:. The symptoms for hypos , false hypos low blood sugar levels and hypers can be very similar and so it is very important to always test your blood sugar levels to see if any of your symptoms are related to either blood sugar level issues and treat accordingly.
The biggest impact is food and drink and even with the other factors listed below, this is the single biggest thing that can have huge impact. Following a suitable diet which lowers and stabilises blood sugar levels is essential in managing the condition. Take a look at our dietary advice on eating a suitable diet which may be different to what you are advised at hospital. Being dehydrated can raise blood sugar levels. Take a look at our advice on what to drink and how often on our drinks page here.
When we are poorly, to help fight illness and get better our body releases extra glucose and with gestational diabetes we cannot produce or use enough insulin to process this additional glucose. This glucose goes into your bloodstream. Your body then releases a hormone called insulin to help your body move glucose out of the bloodstream and into the cells, where it fuels basic cellular functions.
Glucose goes from mother to baby through the placenta. This can cause problems for the mother and the baby. Mothers with gestational diabetes have a greater chance of developing preeclampsia high blood pressure during pregnancy ; infections in the urinary tract and vagina; and having very large babies. If the baby is too large, childbirth can injure the mother, who may need to have a cesarean section to deliver the baby safely.
Occasionally, gestational diabetes can also cause too much fluid to collect around the baby in the womb, which can cause discomfort and preterm labor. Screening usually occurs at your to week prenatal visit. Your doctor will give you a fluid to drink usually orange- or lime-flavored that contains concentrated glucose. During this test, your blood glucose is tested one hour, two hours and three hours after you drink the solution.
If two or more of these values show elevated blood glucose, you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. It is important to note that women who are obese or have a history of gestational diabetes with a previous pregnancy may have glucose screening done earlier in the pregnancy, during the first trimester.
If you screen positive for gestational diabetes, you will be referred for an appointment with a diabetes educator, who will teach you how to check your blood sugar levels daily. You will also learn about the symptoms of high and low blood-sugar levels.
You are encouraged to work with a nutritionist, who can help you choose the proper foods to eat during pregnancy to manage your blood sugar levels.
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