Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes

Diabetes Basics

Diabetes is a lifelong disease characterized by high levels of the sugar glucose in the blood. High blood sugar is caused by the body’s inability to make insulin or respond to insulin normally

Glucose comes from food and is the main energy source for the body.Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas that is responsible for telling organs such as the liver, muscle, and fat to remove glucose from the blood. When there is not enough insulin, or these organs can’t respond to insulin, less glucose gets into cells to be stored for energy. As a result, blood glucose levels rise.

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes occurs when a woman without obvious diabetes develops high blood sugar during pregnancy. This typically happens late in pregnancy, around 28 weeks or later.

Gestational diabetes places the mother and baby at risk pregnancy complications such as macrosomia (largebaby), pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure) and birth injury. In addition, both mother and baby have an increased risk for developing type-2 diabetes later.

Complications of Gestational Diabetes

Percent increase in the odds of each pregnancy outcome for every 23.5 mg/dl increase in 2-hr plasma glucose following an oral glucose tolerance test performed between 28 and 32 weeks of gestation. Percent increase in the odds of each complication was adjusted for potential confounders including, but not limited to, maternal age, BMI, height, smoking status, and family history of diabetes. Data obtained from: Metzger BE et al. N Engl J Med 2008;358:1991-2002.

Managing Gestational Diabetes

There is a lot women with gestational diabetes can do to maintain good health through pregnancy and minimize complications. Healthy meal planning, physical activity, and blood sugar monitoring are important parts of managing gestational diabetes. In fact, 80 – 90% of women with gestational diabetes can be managed with lifestyle therapy alone. Women with blood sugar levels that cannot be controlled with lifestyle changes will require insulin injections.

Am I at risk for gestational diabetes?

The following is a list of some factors that may increase a woman’s risk for gestational diabetes:

  • Overweight or obese prior to pregnancy
  • History of gestational diabetes
  • Family history of either type 1 or type 2 diabetes
  • Glycosuria (glucose in urine)
  • Prediabetes
  • History of fetal macrosomia (infant weight > 4000 grams)
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

DiabetOmics Gestational Diabetes Profile

The DiabetOmics Gestational Diabetes Profile is designed to be added to regular prenatal care. This panel of tests can be performed during the first and second trimester to screen for gestational diabetes risk before diagnosis is typically made. Identification of gestational diabetes risk allows women to make lifestyle changes earlier to improve health and wellness throughout pregnancy.

For more information on diabetes:

American Diabetes Association
diabetes.org

International Diabetes Federation
idf.org

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health
diabetes.niddk.nih.gov

Diabetes Risks, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment Information eMedicineHealth
eMedicineHealth.com

Division of Laboratory Sciences: Programs & Research: Diabetes Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
cdc.gov/nceh/dls/diabetes

CDC’s Diabetes Program – Diabetes and Me National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (CDC)
cdc.gov/diabetes

Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes University of Colorado Denver
uchsc.edu/misc/diabetes/

Joslin Diabetes Center Diabetes Research, Care & Education
joslin.harvard.edu