Gestational Diabetes – When it is Too Sweet for Mother and Child

One of the chief benefits you hear about when a woman is pregnant is that she is "eating for two." It seems that the moment that a woman gets a positive test result, the world assumes that she will be able to spend the next nine months gorging herself on whatever food or odd combination thereof her heart and unborn baby's heart desires. For the estimated 3 to 10% of pregnant women that suffer from gestational diabetes this is not the case. Much like type II diabetes, gestational diabetes is marked by an inability by the body to properly utilize the insulin secreted by the pancreas to convert glucose or blood sugar into energy. Gestational diabetes does often resolve itself after pregnancy but in some cases it can progress into full blown type II diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is most often detected as the result of the routine tolerance testing that is administered to most pregnant women in the United States around the 36th week of pregnancy. After fasting for several hours, the expectant mother is given a glucose concentration to drink. Within an hour of drinking the concentration, a blood draw is performed. If the results show a high concentration of glucose remains, then additional testing will follow, which may include an oral glucose tolerance test, which is to follow a period of overnight fasting ranging from 8 to 14 hours. Positive results will mean close monitoring for the rest of the pregnancy.

Patients suffering from this illness have the same health risks as any other diabetic, in addition to concerns about their child as well. The two main risks that gestational diabetes poses to the unborn child have to do with growth abnormalities and chemical imbalances after birth. Many babies born to mothers who suffered from the disease are either very large or very small. Additionally, some infants are born with low blood sugar and other complications.

If diagnosed with gestational diabetes, the expectant mother will likely be referred to both a nutritionist and a high risk obstetrician. Along with the mother's regular OB, the team will work together to put a diet plan in place which will help the mother to maintain proper sugar levels. Constant monitoring and meticulous recording of blood sugar numbers throughout the day is required in order to make the necessary adjustments to the mother's diet needed in order to keep both mother and infant safe. In most cases, gestational diabetes will resolve itself immediately following delivery, although some mothers may be at a higher risk for developing diabetes in subsequent pregnancies.

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