Gestational diabetes, just like the other kinds of diabetes, refers to the way your body is able to use sugar that is its main fuel. The majority of pregnant women are interested in the signs of gestational diabetes so that they will know what to keep an eye out for.
Symptoms of gestational diabetes
The bad news is that usually the problem doesn’t cause any noticeable symptoms. Only in rare cases do women experience increased urination or excess thirst. Usually the problem is found during a routine screening or testing.
Seeing your doctor
When thinking about the gestational diabetes symptoms you should know that the best thing you could do is to see your health care provider as soon as you find out that you are pregnant. Most probably you will have some tests done and you will create a childbearing wellness plan together.
It is important to know whether you are at risk of developing gestational diabetes signs. Testing for it should become a part of your regular care. If you do develop the problem, it is possible that you will require more frequent check-ups. Most probably this will happen during the third trimester.
What can you expect?
If you show the warning signs of gestational diabetes your doctor will monitor closely your blood sugar level. It is possible that your doctor will refer you to other healthcare specialists who specialize in diabetes. These professionals include a registered dietitian, endocrinologist or a diabetes educator.
It is important to learn about managing your blood sugar levels if you see the evidence of gestational diabetes. Your blood sugar levels are supposed to return to normal after you give birth. To make sure that everything goes well, you will have some tests after childbirth.
You will have another test six weeks after childbirth if you saw the gestational diabetes warning signs. If you were affected by this problem, it is a very good idea to be tested regularly after childbirth. The frequency of your tests will depend on your blood sugar level after you gave birth.
Risk factors
When thinking about the indicators of gestational diabetes you should know that there are some risk factors that make the appearance of the condition more likely. These include the age of the mother being over 25. A personal or family history of diabetes also increases the chances.
The women who have excess weight should also keep an eye out for the gestational diabetes indicators. If you happen to have a BMI over 30 you have higher chances of facing this problem. For unknown reasons, the women of a nonwhite race also have higher chances of encountering the problem.
As it has been mentioned before regarding the signs of gestational diabetes during pregnancy, they aren’t always noticeable. However, if you think you notice something that seems to be out of place, you have to make sure that you mention it to your doctor so that he or she can run some tests and find the cause of the problem.
