By Daily Press staff
Eating right and watching your weight throughout pregnancy are important for your health and your baby’s health, doctors at Saint John’s Health Care say.
For the small percentage of women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, however, stricter diets, blood sugar level testing and frequent doctor visits are recommended.
Gestational diabetes occurs when hormonal changes interfere with the body’s ability to use insulin, resulting in high blood sugar levels, explains Jon Matsunaga, M.D., an Ob/Gyn specialist and chair of the Ob/Gyn department at Saint John’s Health Center.
Symptoms of gestational diabetes are similar to those of normal pregnancy, including extreme hunger, thirst or fatigue, and frequent urination. Therefore, all women are screened for diabetes when their pregnancy reaches between 24 and 28 weeks.
Pregnant women suffering from the disease are usually able to control their blood sugar levels without medication by making simple dietary changes, such as reducing fat and sugar intake, and by exercising regularly, doctors say.
Women at increased risk of developing gestational diabetes include those who: ■ Are older than age 30 when they became pregnant. ■ Are overweight. ■ Have a family history of diabetes. ■ Had the disease during a previous pregnancy. ■ Had a previous abnormal glucose tolerance test. ■ Are members of ethnic groups with a high risk of developing diabetes, including Latinos, Asians and African Americans.
“Once a pregnant woman has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, they will have to have their blood sugar checked frequently,” Dr. Matsunaga said. “Since a pregnant woman’s blood sugar travels through the placenta to the fetus, it’s important that blood sugar levels remain within a safe range. If blood sugar levels rise above normal, the fetus will convert some of that extra glucose into fat, causing the fetus to grow larger than expected. In some cases, the fetus may become so large that it will have to be delivered by surgery (a C-section).
“If diet and exercise fails to stabilize a pregnant woman’s blood sugar, they will probably have to self-administer daily injections of insulin throughout the remainder of their pregnancy and monitor their blood sugar levels at home,” he added. “As long as the baby remains healthy and of a normal size, expectant moms with gestational diabetes should be able to deliver vagi-nally.”
Gestational diabetes usually resolves itself after delivery, and blood sugar levels typically return to normal within two to three days. However, to determine if diabetes was the result of a pre-existing condition, Dr. Matsunaga recommends that women diagnosed with gestational diabetes be tested approximately six weeks after their baby is born.
It is also important to realize that women who developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at an increased risk of developing diabetes afterward. To reduce their risk of developing insulin resistance after pregnancy, Dr. Matsunaga recommends that they continue to eat properly and exercise regularly, as well as have their fasting blood glucose levels checked every year to make sure they remain within normal levels.
To find an Ob/Gyn like Dr. Matsunaga (or any type of physician), log onto the Saint John’s Web site at www.stjohns.org. Select “Find a Physician” and respond to the computer prompts. Browsers can choose from a wide range of specialists, which are then sorted by location, gender and language. The service instantly refers patients to one of Saint John’s physicians.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 31, 2005. Read the original PDF.