Gestational Diabetes ( Diabetes in pregnancy) is a special type of diabetes occurring during the pregnancy caused by a hormone in the placenta leading to insulin resistance. In addition, the pregnancy also releases the decreased insulin from the pancreas
However, this condition does not affect all pregnant women. Those who are at risk are who have older age for the pregnancy especially for the age over 30 including women who are overweight since before pregnancy or lose and gain weight quickly during the pregnancy. Moreover, another type woman that is inlcuded is those having heredity of a disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, pre-pregnancy with the disease during the pregnancy, gave birth to 4 kilo. baby or have multi-pregnancy.
The Gestational Diabetes causes unwanted complications to both a baby and mother. The complication in the mom is high blood pressure, toxemia of pregnancy, a risk for type-2 diabetes. For the complications in the baby include disability, abnormal body development as a result, giving birth to a baby will be difficult for the mother. Apart from that, the baby may have respiratory disorders, hypoglycemia which causes the risk of diabetes to the baby in the future.
Diagnosing gestational diabetes
The fast diagnosing is the best prevention for complications. Regarding a process, women at risk required 8-12 hours fasting for blood gulcose testing, the testing can start since the first time of Antenatal care to detect the risk for a disease. If a result is normal, this screening will be made again during 24-28 weeks of the pregnancy by eating 75 grams of sugar and receiving the blood test, if a person is at risk treatment will be provided immediately.
Treatment of Gestational Diabetes
Treatment of gestational diabetes requires cooperation between patients and doctor. Patients must control food consumption such as sweet food or fast food and soft drink. After that, the doctor will provide blood test from fingertip three to five times in every day to adjust the sugar level, however, if the sugar is considered high, insulin injection will be applied as the treatment suddenly.
Currently, there is no prevention of diabete during the pregnancy. However, exercise, diet and weight loss before pregnancy can still reduce the risk of gestational diabetes.
Dr.Sasipat Chontong
Diabetes Center
Phyathai Nawamin Hospital,
Tel: +662-2944-7111 ext. 2313
