SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital - Mt. Vernon issued the following announcement on Dec. 11.
Approximately 7 percent of pregnant women in the United States will develop diabetes during pregnancy, also known as gestational diabetes.
Like other kinds of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how the body processes glucose or sugar, which causes blood sugar levels to be higher than they should be. While no one knows what triggers gestational diabetes, we do know what happens to cause the rise in blood sugar levels. The placenta makes a hormone called human placental lactogen (HPL), which increases as pregnancy progresses. The HPL inactivates the woman’s insulin, a hormone that lowers blood sugar levels. This, in turn, causes the blood sugar levels to rise. Gestational diabetes is what happens when blood sugar levels become too high.
“Some women can control their gestational diabetes with diet and exercise alone,” says Loryjean Kostich, a certified nurse-midwife in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic at SSM Health Dean Medical Group in Wisconsin. “But sometimes, in spite of meticulous attention to diet, medication needs to be started to achieve better glucose control. This is beyond the woman’s control, and it is important for her to know that she has not failed simply because she requires medication.”
Because gestational diabetes does not commonly cause any symptoms, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology recommends screening of all pregnant women, typically between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. A woman’s risk for developing this pregnancy complication can increase if she is overweight or obese, has a family history of diabetes, has prediabetes, a personal history of gestational diabetes, and/or has high blood pressure.
While most women with gestational diabetes deliver healthy babies, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can affect an unborn baby. Two major health problems babies can develop are macrosomia and hypoglycemia.
Macrosomia means that the baby is larger than normal. This could make it difficult for the baby to fit through the birth canal, increasing the risks of birth trauma to both baby and mother. Macrosomia also increases the possibility of a caesarean delivery. Hypoglycemia happens when a baby’s blood sugar levels are too low.
“Because babies born to women with gestational diabetes are often large, many people think that a big baby means a healthy baby. This is not necessarily so,” says Kostich. “Babies exposed to high maternal blood sugars can have delayed organ maturation, particularly of the lungs. This may cause a breathing problem called ‘Respiratory Distress Syndrome.’”
“Avoiding preterm delivery and maintaining strict blood sugar control decreases the chances for the baby to develop this breathing problem.”
For women with gestational diabetes, treatment focuses on keeping blood sugar levels within a normal range. This could include special diets, exercise and daily blood sugar monitoring. If these methods do not control blood sugar levels, medication can be prescribed.
It is important to note that gestational diabetes can increase a woman’s risk for early labor. This can happen when too much fluid builds up around the baby, a condition called polyhydramnios. Pressure from the fluid and larger uterus can cause early contractions and labor. Careful control of blood sugar levels can help prevent this and other pregnancy complications.
While gestational diabetes cannot be prevented, remember that a good diet and staying active are important and will help keep both mom and baby healthy through pregnancy and beyond.
Original source can be found here.
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