Signs of Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a condition that not many women know about. This is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. It is seen affecting about 14% pregnant women. It is very important that one understands the warning signs of gestational diabetes as this condition can lead to a number of complications. We shall have a look at the complications later on in the article, but before that we go into the details of signs of gestational diabetes while pregnant. Let's see the details of gestational diabetes symptoms, causes and treatment in the following paragraphs.

What is Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a condition that develops in pregnant women. It occurs when the to-be-mom's body does not produce enough insulin that helps regulating the amount of sugar in blood and enabling the excess sugar to be stored in the body. During pregnancy, the body needs to produce more insulin as it has to regulate blood sugar levels in the fetus as well. When this does not happen, it leads to gestational diabetes signs in the mother. In most cases, the gestational diabetes disappears after the baby is born. However, a few women tend to develop this condition for life.

What are the Signs of Gestational Diabetes
One needs to know the signs of gestational diabetes in pregnancy. This will help in quick diagnosis and treatment for the condition. The signs of gestational diabetes during pregnancy one needs to watch out for are as follows:

• Unusual excessive thirst
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Frequent bladder and urinary tract infections
• Blurred vision

As you can see, increase in thirst is a common sign of gestational diabetes in pregnancy. If you are thirsty more than usual, make sure you tell your doctor about it during your next visit. Along with increase in thirst, women may also suffer from frequent urination. This sign is often overlooked as during pregnancy, a woman tends to urinate often. However, it maybe a gestational diabetes signs. Nausea and fatigue, too are common pregnancy complaints. However, nausea and fatigue together along with weight loss may indicate gestational diabetes.

Increase in sugar levels in the body causes increase in infections. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes frequently develop bladder infections, vaginal infections or skin infections. This is a serious sign as the urinary tract infection may spread and reach the kidneys, leading to more serious complications. If untreated, it may cause high blood pressure and premature delivery. Gestational diabetes leads to too much fluid accumulating in the eye retina. This condition is called macular edema that leads to blurred vision. It can also be a sign of hypertension that may lead to complications of pregnancy as well as vision.

As you can see most of the gestational diabetes signs are similar to the common discomforts experienced during pregnancy. Do not take these signs of gestational diabetes lightly as it could lead to serious complications. If you experience these symptoms, mention them to your doctor. She can conduct a gestational diabetes test, blood test or a urine test to confirm the signs of gestational diabetes while pregnant.

Treatment for Signs of Gestational Diabetes
The gestational diabetes signs can managed by eating a balanced diet. The doctor will ask you to follow a gestational diabetes diet plan and eat low sugar food and drinks. Apart from change in diet, one maybe asked to exercise to lower the blood sugar levels. Exercise helps in metabolizing the excess sugar and increasing the sensitivity to insulin. The blood sugar levels will be monitored four to five times a day. This will help keep the blood sugar level within the healthy range. In some cases, medications like glyburide maybe prescribed, if diet and exercise do not help.

Complications related to Gestational Diabetes
Too much sugar in blood will cause the baby to grow large. This makes labor and birth very difficult and in most cases one needs to give birth by cesarean section. Gestational diabetes may also affect the unborn child. After the baby is born, he/she may have low blood sugar and jaundice. These babies are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes as well as obesity in later life.

This is all about signs of gestational diabetes in pregnancy. Watch out for the warning signs of gestational diabetes to reduce the complications during and after pregnancy. For more information, your health care provider can be consulted for advise.