What you need to know about gestational diabetes

You found out you are pregnant. This is such a special time in your life. Everything is progressing along just fine and then you find out you have Gestational Diabetes, specifically, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). Suddenly things become more intense. What does this mean? What did I do? How can I control it? First of all you CAN control GDM. There wasn’t anything you did or didn’t do that caused this to happen.

What is GDM?

GDM is defined as glucose intolerance during pregnancy. The food you eat breaks down into sugar. Your body isn’t able to use the sugar (glucose) in your blood as well as it should. So your blood sugar level becomes higher than normal. GDM occurs in about 4-8% of all pregnancies. (Blame it on your hormones!!) This condition often goes away after the baby is born. GDM can affect almost any woman of any age or race, and its occurrence is on the rise. There are several risk factors, which may increase a woman’s risk of developing GDM.

Risk factors:These include: advanced maternal age, previous history of macrosomic baby (greater than 9 lbs at birth), previously unexplained stillbirth, family history of diabetes, and/or maternal obesity.
Screening: All women are screened for diabetes between 24-28 wks of gestation. If this initial screen is positive, a three-hour glucose tolerance test (GTT) is performed. This test measures blood sugar levels at fasting and then hourly for the next 3 hours following consumption of glucose. If two of the four readings are abnormal, GDM is diagnosed.
Treatment: Nutrition therapy is the primary treatment for the management of GDM. Exercise, home blood glucose monitoring, and stress management are the other key components. In some cases, insulin may be added to the treatment plan.

Here is a list of frequently asked questions regarding GDM.

How does too much glucose affect my baby and me?

If the mother does not maintain good blood glucose levels, then excess sugar goes to the baby, and the baby stores this sugar, thus accelerating the baby’s weight. These babies are usually poor feeders after they are born, may develop jaundice, may have low blood sugar, and some may have breathing problems. If your baby is too big, you may have a more difficult delivery or need a cesarean section.

Can I have a normal pregnancy with GDM?

Your chances of having a healthy baby are good if you follow the advice of your diabetes team. Your doctor, the diabetes nurse, and the dietitian will work with you to help you control your diabetes during pregnancy.

What can I eat?

A registered dietitian will work with you to develop a meal plan that will allow you to have a wide variety of foods, and still maintain your blood sugars within a normal range. Small frequent meals are best if distributed throughout the day. There are many new items on the market, which make meal planning easier and tastier! There is nothing you can’t eat. Most foods can be worked into the meal plan. If you are unwilling or unable to follow your prescribed meal plan, you will not feel well, have less energy and your blood sugars can remain high, which in turn affects your baby.

How does exercise help and what exercises can I do?

Exercise will help keep your blood sugar level in a normal range. You will also feel better. Walking and swimming are good choices. Ask your physician before you start and be careful to start slowly if you are not used to exercising. read more