Gestational diabetes: Symptoms and Treatment of Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes

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Overview

Epidemiology

Symptoms

Risk Factors

Diagnosis

Treatment

Overview of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is defined as intolerance to glucose or presence of high blood glucose levels during pregnancy or the gestational period. Gestational diabetes usually disappears after delivery.¹ It affects about 2–4% of all pregnancies and is of much concern because of the risk factors associated with it. It can affect both mother and the new born. This condition can be prevented and managed by eating healthy food, exercising regularly and taking necessary medication.

Epidemiology (Occurence of Gestational Diabetes in Different Groups)
Epidemiology of gestational diabetes has not been studied systematically. Differences in screening programs and diagnostic critera make it difficult to study about the prevalences of gestational diabetes in various population of the world. Ethnicity is an independent risk factor for this condition. There are several other risk factors and in the absence of the risk factors, the incidence of gestational diabetes is low. Women in their first half of their pregnancy pose a high-risk, which include increased incidence of obstetric problems and later development of type 2 diabetes. Studies suggest a link between increased risk prediabetic condition, gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies have clarified that prevention strategies are useful in modifying the risk factors.²

Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes does not show any symptoms and the pregnant woman may be living with the condition without knowing it. If a blood test confirms the presence of gestational diabetes, that is, presence of high blood glucose
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Risk Factors of Gestational Diabetes
Read more details about the risk factors for gestational diabetes

Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes
Diagnosis for gestational diabetes is usually done between 24–28 weeks of pregnancy. The major test involved in the detection of this condition is oral glucose tolerance test. Here, blood sugar level is tested after consuming a
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Treatment of Gestational Diabetes
Read more details about the treatment of gestational diabetes

Relevant Health Videos for Gestational Diabetes

Learn to handle Gestational Diabetes

Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: January 04,2009

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References

Report of the expert committee on the diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus. Diabet Care. 2003; 26(Suppl 1): S5–S20.
Ben-Haroush A, Yogev Y, Hod M. Epidemiology of gestational diabetes mellitus and its association with type 2 diabetes. Diabet Med. 2004; 21(2): 103–113.
Casey BM, Lucas MJ, Mcintire DD, Leveno KJ. Pregnancy outcomes in women with gestational diabetes compared with the general obstetric population. Obstet Gynecol. 1997; 90: 869–873.
Dang K, Homko C, Reece EA. Factors associated with fetal macrosomia in offspring of gestational diabetic women. J Matern Fetal Med. 2000; 9: 114–117.
Brody SC, Seth C, Russell Harris. Screening for gestational diabetes: A summary of the evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Obstet Gynecol. 2003; 101(2): 380–392.
American Diabetes Association. Gestational diabetes mellitus. Clinical Practice Recommendations 2004. Diabet Care. 2004; 27(Suppl 1): S88–S90.
Franz MJ, Horton ES, Bantle JP, Beebe CA, Brunzell JD, Coulston AM, et al. Nutrition principles for the management of diabetes and related complications (Technical Review). Diabetes Care.1994; 17: 490–518.

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