La diabetes gestacional, es una forma de diabetes, o nivel alto de azúcar en la sangre, que se desarrolla o se reconoce por primera vez durante el embarazo.
What can happen if a woman has gestational diabetes?
One of the primary complications we see with GD is having a large baby. This can result in problems such as injury or tearing to the mother or baby during childbirth. It also increases the chances of a woman needing a cesarean section, which means she will have a longer recovery time after birth. Good blood sugar control during pregnancy can decrease these risks.
What happens after pregnancy? What can happen with a woman’s future health?
In most women with GD, high blood sugar levels disappear shortly after the baby’s birth. However, in some women, diabetes does not go away after childbirth. These women probably had diabetes before getting pregnant, but they didn’t even know it. They need immediate diabetes care and significant nutritional control to manage their weight and caloric intake during pregnancy.
How can a woman find out if she still has diabetes after giving birth?
A woman with GD should have her blood sugar checked at her postpartum visit, which is usually within three months after delivery. Her doctor may order a blood sugar test to see if she still has diabetes and requires treatment. Some women will find that they have high blood sugar levels but not high enough to be called diabetes. This is called prediabetes. A woman with prediabetes has a high risk of developing diabetes in the future and needs close follow-up care from her doctor.
What about a woman whose blood sugar returns to normal after childbirth? Does she still have to worry about diabetes?
Even if her blood sugar level returns to normal after delivery, she still has a higher risk of diabetes in the future. Therefore, it is important for her to continue monitoring her health with her gynecologist and nutritionist to follow an appropriate dietary plan.
Is there anything a woman can do to reduce her risk of developing diabetes?
Fortunately, there is. Having gestational diabetes serves as an early warning sign of a higher risk of diabetes. People with an increased risk of diabetes can actually delay or prevent the development of diabetes by eating the right foods, controlling their weight, and increasing physical activity. Some individuals, including women with a history of GD, can reduce their risk of diabetes by half with these lifestyle changes.
How can we make these important lifestyle changes?
First, make healthy food choices. Eat more vegetables, fruits, beans, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. Second, try to be active for at least two and a half hours each week. If you are overweight, try to lose weight. Even losing 4 to 7 kilograms can have benefits. Third, seek help from your doctor for diabetes prevention. He or she can refer you to a clinical nutritionist or nutrition specialist for additional assistance with meal planning, weight control, and physical activity.
What should a woman do if she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes a long time ago?
First, make sure your current doctors or healthcare providers are aware of your GD. It is a very important part of your medical history. Next, whether you were recently diagnosed or years ago, ask your provider to schedule regular diabetes tests. Most women need testing at least every three years, but some may need to be tested as often as every year. Finally, seek help from a nutritionist or nutrition expert and follow the advice we just discussed regarding diet, weight control, and physical activity.
Why would a woman need regular diabetes tests? Wouldn’t she have symptoms like thirst, hunger, or fatigue that would tell her she might have it?
In reality, many people with diabetes have no symptoms at all and don’t know they have the disease. The only way to know for sure is to have a blood test for diabetes.
What about women who might become pregnant again?
It is especially important for a woman to have regular diabetes tests if she may become pregnant again. Undiagnosed diabetes during pregnancy increases the risk of complications, such as birth defects. Controlled diabetes before getting pregnant reduces these risks. Furthermore, a woman who has had GD in the past and wants to become pregnant again soon should receive pre-pregnancy counseling and testing. And remember, once she becomes pregnant, it is very important for a woman with a history of GD to enter prenatal care early, with her treating physician and proper nutritional control.
