well-being healthy pregnancy
Women with diabetes can have healthy
pregnancies and should receive nutrition
counseling. A diabetic diet consists of less fat and simple sugars and more fruits, vegetables and whole grains
If the results of this test are abnormal, some women will go on to have another diagnostic test, while others will be given the diagnosis of diabetes based only on this result. If you are diagnosed with gestational dia-
your healthcare provider to discuss the po- tential impact of diabetes on your pregnancy. Unfortunately, having gestational diabetes can increase the risks of other complications during pregnancy. These problems include: • The development of high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia. • Your baby gaining more weight than is healthy, which can lead to complications at delivery and even an increased risk for child- hood obesity and diabetes. • Other adverse outcomes for your baby, including stillbirth. Fortunately, most of these risks appear to
be related to control of blood sugar. Hence, good control can mean that women with diabetes can still have healthy pregnancies. At the time of diagnosis, all women should re- ceive nutrition counseling and instruction on how to have a diabetic diet, which is basically a healthy balanced diet consisting of less fat and simple sugars and more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Women with gestational diabetes will be taught how to use a blood sugar monitor
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called a glucometer, and will check their blood glucose levels using a small drop of blood Many pregnant women are able to control their diabetes with diet alone, but if changes goals, sometimes oral medications or subcuta- neous injections of insulin may be necessary. Depending on how the diabetes is con-
trolled, your provider will make recommen- dations about special testing to monitor your baby’s well-being and the timing of delivery. or spontaneous labor may outweigh the risks for gestational diabetics. If you are diagnosed with diabetes during
pregnancy, you should undergo testing within a few months of delivery to ensure that you no longer have any problems with insulin resistance. While most women do not require ongoing treatment after delivery, the risk of developing diabetes later in life is almost double for gestational diabetics. It is important that your provider is aware of this compli- cation and performs regular screening for diabetes in the future.
Lynsey Caldwell Owen, MD, FACOG, is an obstetrician/gynecologist at Arlington Women’s Center and Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, VA.
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