Reedsburg Area Medical Center Health

Gestational Diabetes During Pregnancy

As a woman enters pregnancy, her body encounters many different processes to sustain the growing fetus in her body. These changes in her body processes can potentially place her at risk for some conditions, such as diabetes.

What is Gestational Diabetes?

The term gestational diabetes is used to describe a type of diabetes that only happens during pregnancy; thus, the word gestational - which means related to pregnancy - is used. The woman’s ability to absorb glucose into the cells is suddenly hampered. As a result, the sugar ingested remains in the blood instead of being utilized by the body, increasing the woman’s blood sugar level.

What are the causes of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)?

There is no exact cause of GDM, but some theories suggest why this condition occurs.

Insulin is the body’s hormone responsible for moving the sugar from the blood to the cells for energy usage. During pregnancy, the placenta releases hormones such as estrogen, cortisol, and human placental lactogen, which are thought to have a blocking mechanism against insulin. In effect, insulin can not transport the sugar inside the cells. This insulin-blocking effect usually begins at about 20 to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

As the pregnancy progresses, the placenta produces more of the mentioned pregnancy hormones increasing the woman’s insulin resistance.

Risk factors:

Although there is no exact cause for gestational diabetes, some factors place the woman at higher risk for this condition than other pregnant women.

• Weight above the normal BMI
• Family history of Diabetes
• Has previously given birth to an infant weight 9 pounds or more
• Age: Women older than 25 years old are at greater risk of developing gestational diabetes
• Race: African-American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Indian American, Asian American, Latin
• Personal history of Diabetes

Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes

• Frequent urination
• Increase in thirst level
• The woman is hungrier than usual

How to diagnose Gestational Diabetes?

A routine check of blood sugar levels is done during the second trimester of pregnancy to determine the current blood sugar status and to detect early signs of gestational diabetes. This is done through oral glucose tolerance. 

In this test, the woman is given an oral glucose drink an hour before taking her blood sugar levels. This is to check if her body is able to metabolize the glucose in her blood or if the sugar will remain in her blood, raising her blood sugar.

Possible complications of GDM to the Pregnant Woman

High blood pressure (Preeclampsia)

Women with GDM are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure because of the increase in blood sugar levels. Preeclampsia is a serious condition in pregnancy that can result in stroke and can threaten the mother and baby's life if left untreated.

Low blood sugar

If the woman is diagnosed early and takes medication to control diabetes, she may suffer from the adverse effects of the medications. One primary side effect of taking anti-diabetic meds is a reduction in blood sugar levels. This low blood sugar level is called hypoglycemia and can cause shaking, dizziness, and irritability. In cases of severe blood sugar reduction, fainting or coma can also happen.

C-Section

GDM patients are at potential risk for a C-section due to a large fetus and/or preeclampsia. C-section involves major surgery and includes risks of hemorrhage, infection, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and other associated risks of anesthesia. And like other surgeries, the recovery period for C-section is also longer compared to normal delivery.

Possible complications of GDM to the baby

Macrosomia

All of the baby's nutrients while inside the womb come from the mother’s blood. If the mother’s blood is filled with too much glucose, the baby will also receive too much glucose. Because the baby has normal insulin levels and functions, it can metabolize the excess sugar, resulting in the conversion of insulin into larger than normal fetal size. Macrosomia poses risks of nerve compression during delivery.

Hypoglycemia

Because of the consistently high glucose in the mother’s blood, the baby’s body produces more insulin in circulation. When the baby is out of the mother’s womb, the insulin levels remain high, causing the baby’s blood sugar to drop.

Final thoughts

Gestational diabetes is a condition that can have serious effects on both the mother and the baby, and early detection and treatment are necessary to prevent complications. Reedsburg Area Medical Center helps women experiencing signs of GDM in managing and controlling the symptoms to ensure safe delivery.

RAMC also helps women of all ages treat and prevent female health conditions. Schedule an appointment with us today to know more about Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy.

References
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/

https://www.cdc.gov/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/