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| pregnant woman |
Gestational diabetes: what is it?
Gestational diabetes begins during pregnancy (usually in the 2nd trimester) and then resolves within weeks of giving birth. It is characterized by hyperglycemia (excess blood sugar), due to temporary resistance to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas and used to lower blood sugar. This resistance is linked to the hormones produced by the placenta during pregnancy: in some women, the pancreas cannot compensate for their effects by producing more insulin. With good medical care, gestational diabetes is rarely dangerous, although there is always a risk of complications.
What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?
In the majority of cases, gestational diabetes does not cause any symptoms, and when symptoms are present, they are mistaken for minor ailments of pregnancy ... They include:
- Severe fatigue
- Increased thirst
- More frequent urges to urinate
- More urine
- Possibly headaches
Gestational diabetes: who are the people at risk?
Among the risk factors for gestational diabetes already identified are:
- Age of mother (increased risk after 35 years)
- Maternal excess weight
- A family history of type 2 diabetes
- A history of glucose intolerance
- Belonging to a population at risk (examples: Latin American, African and Asian populations)
- Taking corticosteroids regularly
- Polycystic ovary syndrome
- A history of gestational diabetes or high blood pressure during another pregnancy
- Having previously given birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kg.
Gestational diabetes: what diagnosis?
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| Blood sugar mesure |
Screening for gestational diabetes is routinely offered to women at risk. It includes a blood test to measure fasting blood sugar during the 1st trimester: it is between 0.92 g / L and 1.26 g / L. Above, the expectant mother was probably already suffering from type 2 diabetes before her pregnancy. An OGTT (oral hyperglycemia) is also performed between 24 and 28 weeks of amenorrhea: it is based on blood tests taken before and after the absorption of a glucose solution. Some maternity hospitals offer this test to all pregnant women as a precaution.
What are the treatments for gestational diabetes?
The treatment
of gestational diabetes mainly involves changes in maternal diet. Insulin
injections or oral antidiabetics are only used in the most severe forms. This
blood sugar control helps prevent various complications including:
- Pre-eclampsia
- Premature delivery
- Cesarean delivery
- Fetal macrosomia (baby weighing more than 4 kg)
- Infant jaundice
- The onset of type 2 diabetes in mother or child.
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