Gestation diabetes is one of the most commonly encountered complications of pregnancy and can cause a variety of risks to both the baby and the expectant mother. Most often, it occurs midway through the pregnancy, when the need for insulin increases. Women develop gestational diabetes when they are unable to produce enough of the additional insulin needed during pregnancy, causing their blood glucose levels to become elevated. In most women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, glucose levels go back to normal when the baby is born.

The Causes of Gestational Diabetes
Many expectant mothers believe gestational diabetes occurs because they've done something wrong, such as eat too many sweets. This is not true. Certain factors increase the risk of developing gestational diabetes:

• A family history of diabetes
• Obesity
• Previous delivery of a baby weighing nine pounds or more
• A patient's own birthweight over nine pounds
• History of glucose intolerance outside of pregnancy

How We Can Help
Every patient is different. That's why it's important to have your physician and health care team individualize a plan for you. The goal is to normalize your blood sugar, which regulates your baby's blood glucose level. Your physician and health care team will probably recommend that you monitor your blood glucose levels on a regular basis. This will help you find which foods or activities affect your blood glucose control. Nurses from the Diabetes Treatment Center instruct patients on how to monitor blood sugar and ketone levels and answer questions, while our dietitians help patients plan meals to help achieve a constant, even supply of carbohydrates (glucose-producing food) throughout the day. At times, insulin injections may be required to keep the blood sugar in the ideal range. If this is required, we will assist you in learning the proper technique of insulin injection.

For more information on gestational diabetes, or to schedule an appointment, call the Diabetes Treatment Center at 287-7162.