When diabetes is diagnosed in pregnancy

Diabetes: Why you need to understand it and control it

There's a sugary beverage most women drink during pregnancy—and it's not because of a craving. The drink is part of a screening test for gestational diabetes, a form of the disease that appears for the first time when a woman is expecting.

This type of diabetes affects about 18 percent of pregnancies, which is why doctors routinely test for it.

Although gestational diabetes usually goes away after delivery, it's still considered a serious condition that requires careful monitoring.

If the disease isn't properly controlled, a woman may give birth to an overly large baby, making delivery difficult. She may also develop dangerously high blood pressure. In addition, her baby may have breathing problems, and he or she may face a heightened risk of becoming obese or developing diabetes later in life.

Being careful for two
All this is why, if you're pregnant and develop gestational diabetes, you need to do your best to manage the disease. That means working closely with your health care team to keep your blood sugar in a healthy range. Your effort can help you and your baby come through pregnancy and birth just as well as any other mother and baby.

To control your diabetes, your doctor may ask you to:

• Follow a special diet and exercise plan. Both are necessary to keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible.
• Check your blood sugar with a small device called a blood glucose meter. You may need to do this several times a day.
• Take insulin shots if needed. Insulin does not cross the placenta, so it will not directly affect your baby.

Sill have questions?
Campbell County Clinics—OB GYN Specialists encourages you to speak with your doctor if you have questions regarding getstational diabetes. Visit ccmh.net/OBGYN to schedule an appointment.

Sources: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; American Diabetes Association; National Institutes of Health