Dr. Audrey Merriam, a specialist at Yale New Haven Hospital, has recently shed light on the risks associated with gestational diabetes, offering treatment and prevention advice to women grappling with this disorder.
Merriam explains that "In the U.S. about eighty percent of patients can manage their gestational diabetes just through diet and exercise management alone". However, she also points out that "For the remainder of patients, they do need some medication to help manage their diabetes and keep their blood sugars in a range that we would like to optimize outcomes for patients and their babies."
Gestational diabetes is a condition characterized by elevated blood sugar levels during pregnancy. It is instigated by hormones in the placenta which facilitate the delivery of the mother’s blood glucose to the baby. This form of diabetes is quite prevalent, affecting over 300,000 women in the U.S. annually. High Body Mass Index (BMI), advanced maternal age, polycystic ovary syndrome, and chronic hypertension are common risk factors as stated in a news release from Yale New Haven Health.
Despite gestational diabetes typically disappearing post childbirth, it's crucial for patients to receive treatment and undergo regular testing due to potential long-term impacts. According to Merriam, an associate professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine: "About fifty percent of patients will go ahead over the course of their life to develop type 2 diabetes and it also increases the risk for their offspring so that the baby during that pregnancy may have type 2 diabetes later in life as well."
Pregnant women are advised to test for gestational diabetes between twenty-four and twenty-eight weeks of gestation. The initial test administered is known as the glucose challenge test. If patients fail this test, they often undergo a three-hour glucose tolerance test which necessitates fasting before taking the first sample.
Treatment options for gestational diabetes vary but lifestyle changes such as gentle exercise and improved nutrition are usually the first line of defense. Women diagnosed with this condition are also typically advised to monitor their blood sugar levels four times a day. Insulin and metformin are two commonly used medications that can safely treat gestational diabetes. With these simple treatments, gestational diabetes can be managed effectively for a healthy pregnancy, according to a news release from Yale New Haven Health.
