What is Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes

Written by Karen Major

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during a pregnancy. This diabetes is primarily caused by hormones but can sometimes turn into diabetes type two. During pregnancy the placenta produces hormones to support the pregnancy, but these same hormones make the body’s cells resist insulin. As the placenta grows it produces more hormones and this makes the cells even more resistant. The pancreas will normally just produce more insulin, but sometimes the pancreas just can’t keep up. So this leaves more blood sugar, or glucose, in the blood stream and too little glucose in the cells. Gestational diabetes is the result. Mother’s Risk The risk of gestational diabetes to the mother is the chances of later getting pre-diabetes or type two diabetes. Having gestational diabetes increases the probability that the woman will get diabetes later in life. If the new baby weighs more than nine pounds, the mother’s probability of getting diabetes increases even further.   Any woman can have gestational diabetes while she is pregnant but as with everything else, some are more apt to get it than others. There are some things that increase the chances for a woman to develop gestational diabetes. These factors include the age of the woman. If she is over 25, there is a greater risk. Another factor is the woman’s pre-pregnancy weight. It she starts the pregnancy overweight it increases her risk probability. If the woman had pre-diabetes before her pregnancy, or if a parent or sibling has type two diabetes, her risk of getting the disease increases. Her risk also rises if she has had a previous pregnancy with gestational diabetes, if she has had a pregnancy that ended with an unexplained stillbirth, or if she has had a previous baby that weighed over nine pounds when delivered. The woman’s race also affects the chances of her getting gestational diabetes. For reasons no one can explain, women of Black, Asian, American Indian, or Hispanic descent have higher risks for getting gestational diabetes. Baby’s Risk Most babies born of a pregnancy with gestational diabetes are normal babies. There can be complications with some babies however. These complications can include babies developing hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. This occurs soon after birth, and can be solved with an early feeding or, if necessary, an intravenous glucose solution can be given. If the baby is premature or delivered early, respiratory stress syndrome or difficulty breathing may occur. If this occurs, the baby will be given help breathing until the baby’s lungs are stronger. Sometimes extra glucose crosses into the placenta causing more insulin production. This can cause the baby to grow too large. This complication is referred to as macrosomia and might necessitate a c-section. Babies can be jaundiced or have a yellowing of the skin and the white part of the eyes. This happens when baby’s liver is not mature enough to take care of something called biliruben, a substance the liver can normally handle. This is not a serious concern and just needs monitoring. Babies from a gestational diabetes pregnancy have a higher chance of obesity later in life and are more susceptible to type two diabetes as they age. There is a rare, but occasional death, when gestational diabetes has been overlooked and untreated either before, or shortly after birth. Complications The list of complications for the mother consists of the potentially serious condition of preeclampsia. This comes with symptoms of high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine. If preeclampsia is untreated it can lead to serious or even life threatening situations for both the mother and the baby. Another worry for the mother is the increased chance of successive pregnancies turning to gestational diabetes once she’s had one. The mother also has an increased susceptibility for developing type two diabetes as she ages. Summary Gestational diabetes may not produce specific symptoms. The woman may experience excessive weight gain, have excessive hunger or thirst, or urinate more frequently. There may also be recurrent vaginal infections. Gestational diabetes is definitely not to be messed with. If you show any signs of diabetes during your pregnancy, bring it to your doctor’s attention immediately. If for some reason you feel uneasy about what you’ve heard or read of gestational diabetes ask for a test to be taken during the last half of your pregnancy, peace of mind will be worth it.

 

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