Gestational Diabetes

How can I control gestational diabetes to avoid complications?

Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women. Approximately 135,000 cases of gestational diabetes are confirmed in the United States each year. Doctors generally do routine glucose screenings around the 28th week of pregnancy. If a pregnant woman has high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, she will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually affects the mother in late pregnancy.

Although the exact cause of the disease is not known, gestational diabetes begins when the body is not able to make and use the insulin it needs. Insulin enables the glucose to leave the blood and change to energy. When the glucose can not leave, it builds up in the blood. This leads to high levels of glucose in the blood and is known as hyperglycemia.

If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it is very important that you listen to your healthcare provider and take care of yourself. Uncontrolled getational diabetes can be dangerous for both mother and baby. The extra amounts of glucose give the baby high blood glucose levels as well and the extra energy will be stored as fat. This can cause a condition known as macrosomia, also known as "fat baby". Babies with macrosomia may have problems with their shoulders during birth, breathing problems and low blood glucose levels at birth. Because babies with macrosomia are often large, the odds of having a cesarean section are increased.

It is crucial that pregnant women start treatment quickly. Doctors try to keep blood glucose levels equal to those of pregnant women who don't have gestational diabetes. Special meal plans and schedules physical activity are treatment for gestational diabetes. Sometimes women with gestational diabetes have to do daily blood glucose testing and get insulin injections.

Many pregnant mothers wonder if the condition will stay after the pregnancy has come to an end. Normally, gestational diabetes goes away after pregnancy. However, the chances of having it again with future pregnancies are higher. Occasionally, women will go on to have type 1 or 2 diabetes after their pregnancy is done. Treatment would need to be continued after pregnancy if this is the case. There does tend to be a link between gestational diabetes and the development of type 2 diabetes later in life.

Comments: Gestational Diabetes

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yorkie puggle - 4 days ago.
***FREE GLUCOSE MACHINE*** ***Accucheck: 800-858-8072*** ***Asensia: 800-348-8100*** ***Precision Extra or Freestyle Light: 866-224-8892*** **If you call any of those numbers they will send you a FREE machine.** I just got mine in, I got the Accucheck, it's a great one, hardly needs much blood and I like it much better than my One Touch monitor.**I had GD with my first pregnancy, I was given a One Touch Ultra machine, but I just found out that my insurance company don't cover the test strips for that machine anymore, so I had the 3 companies that I listed as a choice. I am glad I went with the Accucheck**I figured I'd post this for anyone who may need a machine and don't have one yet**I am now almost 24 weeks preggers and again I have GD, I am controlling it with diet alone. Have a great day!

estellablu2 - 5 days ago.
Hey there ladies...omg, i just checked my post lunch blood sugars and it was 235!!!!! OMG, i feel like I should do something to lower it, but I don't think i can. Anyone ever have a spike that high? I'm also 8 months prego and not sure how it effects the baby this late in pregnancy :(

mylilfabulous - 7 days ago.
Hola, ladies I dont believe in taking this test and here are my reasons: my mother is diabetic she got it when she was prego with my sister that is now 16yrs old she was told that it would go away when she had the baby which it never did. Before that diabetes did not run in my family. No one has it except my mom. We believe that she got it after she had this test done with the sweet drink. My other sister has two baby girls and refused to take this paticular test and she was healthy and so were the babies. Her doctor at first give her a hard time for refusing to take this test but at the end they just did a blood draw in he morning without eating and checked for diabets that way. Just the way my mom now has to check her blood each every morning before eating breakfast and other meals. I will not take this test either. You have the right to refuse any test if you are not ok with. They can not make u take it. I been reading other peoples comments on how they were feeling great through out their pregnency and once they took this test they all of a sudden feel sick and stress out about them having diabetes. I dont see the point in drinking this solution or what ever it is with out eating and waiting for ur body to break it down. Our bodies are already working hard for two and doesnt need the extra stress. So am requesting a regular blood test which should give my doctor and me the same results. If u have any comments feel free to post them on my page :) thanks for reading !

shellbz - 15 days ago.
I went and took the 3 hour test on Wednesday and still have yet to hear from the doctor. I'm assuming all is well. I had borderline numbers when I took the one hour. Wish me well....

Soon2beemomof3 - 17 days ago.
Hi Ladies. I m a little concerned that I may have gestational diabetes. I had an ultrasound this past week and my baby was already weighing a pound. Are there any other signs or things to watch out for? My doctor told me they were not going to test me until my next appt which is 12/2. Any help or advice is appreciated. Thanks

titangoddess - 17 days ago.
My gluclose level has stabled out plus some. I have cut all carbs from my diet. That includes starches, sugars, and my favorite Coke a Cola... I am not dealing well. I went in today for my checkup and it seems I may have cut too much out. My sugar is not too low. I get to have my coke a day again. YEAH! You can go to american diabetes society to get a good idea of what you can eat. I have a book that came with my tester that tells me the things I can have and how much of everything I can have. Goodluck all!

anjali18 - 35 days ago.
HI frens, yesterday it was my one hr glucose test and it came out high. Now nurse has asked me to go for 3 hr glucose test. Plz suggest me what precaution i should take to have this 3 hr test comes right. i had a sweet tooth badly. Controlling on sweets :-(

momof2pregowith1more - 35 days ago.
so i just found out i have g-d and they said i have to take a class to know what kind of foods i can have and cant have i have to learn how to use a sugar tester and wether or not i will need medications i so havent understood this i passed test with my other 2 pregnancies but this one i failed both the 1hr n 3hr test im so scared cause i dont know what to expect. i dont know if this is gona hurt my baby or if it could be permanent diabetes once baby is born so stressed about this can anyone give me a sigh of relief?

rossy40 - 36 days ago.
Hi I have G-B iam on diet my tests r going normal' but iam curious about my weight its on gaining what should i do aim on 36th week .

momin09 - 39 days ago.
My baby is estimated to be 9lbs 5 oz, on the 97th percentile--though her weight is distributed more in her tummy/ shoulder area. My options for birth are a C-section or vaginal with the chance of her getting stuck and the need for interventions, or worse ultimately a C section in the end. I was concerned b/c women deliver big babies all the time, and was wondering what all the concern was for delivering her. But it is her thick tummy that would make a vaginal birth difficult. So due to this and my rising blood pressure a C section is the best choice. I am scheduled for a C section this weekend. Wish me luck.

nikkinu - 40 days ago.
I failed my first glucose test! :( hope i pass the next one

titangoddess - 51 days ago.
Mommymaddie~ I agree with you. I can't seem to put all the food they are recommending into my body. I am still sick at almost 15w and the thought of adding more food just makes me more sick. When we did the educational part of the gestational class they took all this food out and said this is about what you should have for the day. I had to pick my mouth off the ground. There is no way I can eat that much food and still be walking. No one has said anything to me about eating too many sweets. I am AMA and have been told that it is not my sweets that is effecting my blood gluclose it is my lack of food that is doing it. I am sure once I get past this part of my pg and can eat again it will all start to add up. Most women do not get this until they are 28w but I am the lucky one and I get it now. Oh yeah. The poking my fingers thing is starting to get on my nerves. I take out my tester and I just sit here and cringe. Oh gosh I have to do this for how long? LOL...

mommymaddie - 60 days ago.
So happy to have found this site! I'm currently struggling w/Gestational Diabetes (i scored low on only one of the tests but they wanted me to be treated as a precaution) My biggest complaint with all of this is how insensitive some people can be towards this diagnosis! Twice have I been insulted by professional practitioners (I think by the same nurse) in regards to my diabetes: 'you can have a cookie, just not the whole box!' and 'you just have to cut down on your sweets at weddings!' these are offensive to me because I normally don't indulge in high sugared foods - pregnant or not. Whether they be in the form of carbs or desserts, i've never had much of a sweet tooth so for her to assume, I'm indulging in boxes of cookies or cartons of ice cream was very rude and ignorant! Her second comment about avoiding sweets at weddings. I merely made a comment that I had been going to a lot of weddings lately and so I have little knowledge of what is in their recipes so I might be exposed to more high sugar foods. She took it as me raiding the wedding cake and sweet table when I haven't come close to a grain of sugar since being diagnosed w/GD! Boy was I pissed...how can these professionals be so insensitive?! Has anyone else had similar treatment? I'm perfectly fine with tracking my sugar levels and being on this diet (though i must say its waaaay too much food for me lol) but its the reaction or judgement you get from some people that belittle you so much :( Thanks for listening (reading)

ocso517 - 68 days ago.
momin09-this is my 2nd pregnancy and I had GD on the first so I suspect I will have it again. Like you, I followed the diet plan and test my blood sugars after meals. I didn't have to do the insulin thing though because I was able to control the sugars with the diet. It takes time to learn what triggers the sugar levels but it gets easier. My son was born 6lb 9oz so I think I did pretty well.

momin09 - 73 days ago.
i have Gestational Diabetes and it is a pain but it is manageable. As far as I know, cutting out sugar alone does not make a difference if you get diagnosed. There are alot of foods that cause an increase in blood sugar levels that are not sugary foods. Foods such as white rice, oatmeal, most dry cereals cause a quick rise in blood sugar levels, which is not a good environment for baby to grow in (the baby ingests the extra 'sugars' and gets big). Best to get it managed through diet, light exercise and quite possibly insulin therapy. The insulin helps to convert the sugars into usable energy for you and baby. I have to follow a meal plan, record what I eat, test blood sugars 1 hr. after meals, and administer insulin 4x a day. Eventually it does start to become a routine. The main thing with the meal plan, is that you feel like you are always eatting (small meals and snacks). I do see a difference in my energy level. Some days I get 'sad' from having to give needles and always pricking my finger to test---but I just need to remember the little gal I am doing it for. Hang in there gals if you have it! I am always open to chat.

EllaG - 75 days ago.
I've not had a GD test yet, and I'm just wondering what the symptoms of GD are? I'm 29 weeks and I've noticed the past week that I'm thirstier and I know that this is a sign of regular diabetes. I don't eat alot of processed sugars, but I do eat alot of fruit - could this affect it?

vodka82 - 75 days ago.
i am currently ttc and had gd with my first child, wats the chance ill get it nxt time? x

Jessilein - 83 days ago.
m2b... doctors told me in my pregnancy my levels r too high too but it was due to eating sugarpuffs just before testing. well i was craving anything with sugar too im not even a big sweet eater normally. Anyway I had to d the glucose test and it was normal so yea it was down to eating the worst sugary foods just before but obviously had to try and cut the sugar out a little just n case!

xtrishaxleax - 83 days ago.
I'm 26 weeks now, and I have my next appointment in 2 weeks. All these sites are telling me that I'm going to get tested for gestational diabetes but I already got my tests done at 16 weeks? Do they do it twice or did my doctor just do it early? I'm completely clueless of what my appointment will be, if not that.

dsday19 - 84 days ago.
I had GD my first pregnancy. The doc told me there is only a 25% more chance of getting this pregnancy. I have to get tested at 4 months this time and again at 7 if I pass the first time. I have never ever been a person to diet so doing it from my last trimester my last pregnancy was hard enough I can't imagine doing it for 5/6 months. But whatever is best for baby....

Bri - 84 days ago.
m2b - I don't think there is anything you can do. It's either you do or don't. But, a good portion that fail the first test pass the second. I wouldn't lose hope. To better your chances I would cut out all sugar. I know that's hard. I have a sweet tooth too but I don't think the sugar intake is good for either you or the test. If you do have GD then I don't really think anything will help. Good Luck!

m2b - 84 days ago.
Well I got my results back for my first test and I failed! It was 160 and they want me at 130, does anyone know what I can do to pass this test??? Now that i am pregnant I crave SUGAR should I just cut that out before I go take the test and after could that be the reason why it was high?? I was never a sugar person until I got pregnant so I am wondering if that is a factor?? Any input would help thanks! :)

yorkie puggle - 98 days ago.
I need your help. I had Gestational Diabetes with my DD's pregnancy, and I am only 10 weeks now, and yesterday I took my numbers an hour after eating a bowl of cocoa puffs and 2 organic waffles. My numbers were 198. When they start testing for GD is between like 26-28 weeks. Something made me test yesterday cause I was feeling weird too. So I called the doctors office and they said that is WAY too high and I need to see an endocronologist ASAP and start the GD Diet right away. I have been trying to find any info on can having GD so early cause any problems or birth defects on the growing baby? Do you know anything about this. I asked the doc and she just said well yeah it's the first trimester and all the organs are forming and high glucose is not good, but she said not to worry too much and get on the ball ASAP. Well should I worry? I am lost, you have any info on early gestational diabetes and the affects of it in the first trimester? Dana

rossy40 - 103 days ago.
I have my 1st glucose test its says 150 isthat high my doc told me to have another 3 hr test if i get normal reading idont have togo on diet.thanks

Debs - 108 days ago.
Sokistar - I'm in the UK and we work in mmols. 186 is about 10.3 which was approximately what my BG was after the 2 hour test. Here that counted as high and they called me in 4 days later to get me started with testing my blood sugars 4 times per day. I know in the UK they've tightened up quite considerably since I had it (my dd is now 2). Please don't be nervous. Your Drs will do everything to help you control it and it's all in the best interests of the baby. I ended up taking insulin once a day cos I couldn't control my evening blood sugars. My dd was delivered by c section (she was breech) at 38 weeks as I'd gone into labour naturally. She was perfectly healthy and weighed in at 6lb 8oz so was not big. They monitored her BG for the first 48 hours and it was all good. She is now a bright, cheerful and healthy 2 year old. My blood sugars went back to normal as soon as I'd delivered. Good luck!