November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, an observance intended to raise awareness of symptoms, promote healthy living and ensure that people are aware of the risk factors of diabetes.
For the millions at risk, it is a time to get educated, find resources, and help ensure family and friends are aware of their risk as well. This year’s observance focuses on gestational diabetes. In the next four weeks, we will dive deep into what gestational diabetes is and how it is managed here at St. Tammany Health System.
Gestational diabetes, or GDM, is a type of diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy (gestation) and lingers only during the mother’s pregnancy. Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar, or glucose.
GDM causes high blood glucose that can affect your pregnancy and your baby's health. It affects up to 10% of women who are pregnant in the United States each year. It usually shows up in the middle of pregnancy, and doctors most often test for it between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
During pregnancy, your placenta makes hormones that cause glucose to build up in your blood. Typically, your pancreas can send out enough insulin to handle this. However, if your body can not make enough insulin or stops using insulin effectively, your blood glucose levels rise.
Most of the time, gestational diabetes does not cause noticeable signs or symptoms. Increased thirst and more-frequent urination are possible symptoms, but often these can mimic general pregnancy symptoms.
It’s worth noting that you are more likely to have gestational diabetes if you:
- Are older than 25.
- Are overweight or obese and not physically active.
- Have had gestational diabetes in a past pregnancy.
- Have high blood pressure or you’ve had heart disease.
- Have polycystic ovarian syndrome (also called PCOS).
- Have prediabetes.
- Have a parent or sibling who has diabetes.
Gestational diabetes that is not carefully managed can lead to high blood glucose levels. High blood sugar can cause problems for you and your baby. For a mother, complications can include high blood pressure and preeclampsia, the need for a C-section or development of diabetes in the future.
For your baby, potential complications include:
- Excessive birth weight.
- Early (preterm) birth.
- Low blood glucose (hypoglycemia).
- Obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.
- Stillbirth.
If possible, you should seek healthcare early – even when you first think about trying to get pregnant – so that your healthcare provider can check your risk of gestational diabetes along with your overall wellness.
Once you are pregnant, your healthcare provider will check you for gestational diabetes as part of your prenatal care.
Gestational diabetes does goes away after you give birth. However, it can affect your baby’s health, and it raises your risk of getting type 2 diabetes later in life. By being mindful on the front end, you can take the proper steps to keep you and your baby healthy.