St. Albert & Sturgeon Primary Care Network
Gestational Diabetes
What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy. If you have diabetes, your body isn't able to use the sugar (glucose) in your blood as well as it should, so the level of sugar in your blood becomes higher than normal. This condition affects about 4% of all pregnant women. It usually begins in the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy (between the 24th and 28th weeks). Most often, gestational diabetes will go away after the baby is born.
How can gestational diabetes affect me and my baby?
High sugar levels in your blood can be unhealthy for both you and your baby. If the diabetes isn't treated, your baby may be more likely to have problems at birth. For example, your baby may have a low blood sugar level or, your baby may be large. Your baby will not be born with diabetes.
Most women with gestational diabetes feel well. However, gestational diabetes (GDM) can be associated with high blood pressure. Your healthcare provider will regularly monitor your blood pressure, check your weight and have your urine tested for protein. Also if your baby is very large, you may have a more difficult delivery or need a cesarean section.
What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?
You probably won't know that you have gestational diabetes as there are no obvious symptoms. Women at the greatest risk for gestational diabetes are those:
- With family members who have diabetes
- Who are over the age of 35
- Who are overweight
- Who have previously given birth to a baby over 9lb, a baby born with an abnormality or a still birth
- Who have had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy
How will my healthcare provider know if I have gestational diabetes?
Throughout your pregnancy, you will have routine blood and urine tests. If sugar is found in your urine you may have a blood test to see if you have high sugar levels. If any of these tests show that you have high sugar levels, you will have regular blood tests for the rest of your pregnancy. You may be asked to see a specialist if you have to start taking insulin.
What can I do if I have gestational diabetes?
You will need to follow a diet suggested by your doctor, exercise regularly and have blood tests to check your blood sugar level. You may also need to take insulin to control your blood sugar level.
What changes should I make to my diet?
It's also important to eat well-balanced meals. You may need to eat less at each meal, depending on how much weight you gain during your pregnancy. Your healthcare provider will talk to you about this and may ask you to change some of the foods you eat. You may be asked to see a registered dietitian to help you plan your meals.
You should avoid eating foods that contain a lot of simple sugar, such as cake, cookies, candy or ice cream. Instead, eat foods that contain natural sugars, like fruits. If you get hungry between meals, eat foods that are healthy for you, such as raisins, carrot sticks, or a piece of fruit. All “junk foods” or “fast foods” should be avoided.
Why is exercise important?
Your healthcare provider will suggest that you exercise regularly at a level that is safe for you and the baby. Exercise will help keep your blood sugar level normal, and it can also make you feel better. Walking is usually the easiest type of exercise when you are pregnant, but swimming or other exercises you enjoy work just as well. Ask your healthcare provider to recommend some activities that would be safe for you.
If you are not used to exercising, begin by exercising for 5 or 10 minutes every day. As you get stronger, you can increase your exercise time to 30 minutes or more per session. You do need to be careful about how you exercise. Don't exercise too hard or get too hot while you are exercising. Ask your healthcare provider what would be safe for you.
What happens after my baby is born?
You may not need to have blood tests to check your blood sugar while you're in the hospital after your baby is born. However, it may be several weeks after your baby's birth before your gestational diabetes goes away.
Even if the gestational diabetes goes away after the baby's birth, it makes you have a higher risk for diabetes in your next pregnancy and later in life. That is why it is important that you continue to exercise, watch your weight and eat a healthy diet. If you do these things, you may not get diabetes when you're older.