Gestational Diabetes. What it Means for You and Your Baby
It’s around the 28th week of your pregnancy and it’s time for another check-up with your obstetrician. Everything has been going as expected - the baby’s room is complete, you even have the name picked out - until the blood test comes back this time and the physician tells you that you have gestational diabetes.
Diabetes?!
“Between two and 10 percent of expectant mothers develop gestational diabetes – diabetes that arises during pregnancy,” says Gina Gavlak, program coordinator at Lakewood Hospital Diabetes and Endocrine Center.
Gestational diabetes occurs when hormones that help the baby develop cause insulin resistance in the mother. Insulin resistance means the body isn’t using insulin effectively to carry sugar from the blood to the cells and blood sugar levels are higher than normal.
Lakewood Hospital Diabetes and Endocrine Center has a dedicated team of physicians, nurses and dietitians who work with your obstetrician to control your gestational diabetes for the health of you and your baby.
Gestational diabetes often subsides after the baby is born, but it is extremely important to receive medical care and treatment during pregnancy. Woman with gestational diabetes have up to a 60% chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
Treatments will vary from person to person, “diabetes affects everyone differently,” says Gavlak. But, commonly, gestational diabetes is treated through meal planning, exercise, blood sugar testing and medications (as needed).
Gavlak says, “Living with diabetes involves healthy lifestyle changes, healthy eating and exercise. It teaches lifetime behavioral changes that are beneficial not only for the expectant mother and baby, but also for the family too.”
In addition to your healthcare team, Lakewood Hospital Diabetes and Endocrine Center offers diabetes education classes during pregnancy. Diabetes education is also provided for women with Type 1 and Type 2.
For more information, please contact the Lakewood Hospital Diabetes and Endocrine Center at 216.529.5300.
Lakewood Hospital Diabetes and Endocrine Center
14601 Detroit Avenue, Suite 540
Lakewood, OH 44107