Everything you need to know about gestational diabetes and high-risk pregnancy
If you’re pregnant or planning to be soon, you need to know more about high-risk pregnancy and gestational diabetes, also known as GD or pregnancy diabetes. GD is a kind of diabetes mellitus that develops during pregnancy. When you’re pregnant, your pregnancy hormones can affect your insulin levels. The hormonal changes affect your body’s ability to produce enough insulin, causing your blood sugar levels to rise, which leads to pregnancy diabetes. The physicians at Athens ObGyn will test you for this condition between week 24 and 28 of pregnancy.
Certain factors increase your risk of developing gestational diabetes
The following risk factors may increase your risk of developing diabetes. However, it’s also important to note that women who don’t have any risk factors can also develop this condition.
- Obesity or being overweight
- History of being physically inactive
- Previous pregnancy where you had gestational diabetes
- Previous pregnancy where you delivered a baby weighing nine pounds or more
- High blood pressure
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- History of heart disease
Women who are African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native American or a Pacific Islander have a higher incidence of developing pregnancy diabetes.
What are the complications of GD for you and your baby?
If you develop GD, the physicians at Athens ObGyn treat you as a high-risk pregnancy. This just means that our staff provides you with extra monitoring, appointments and care to prevent complications. If your condition is not monitored carefully, gestational diabetes can lead to complications for both you and your baby.
- A baby weighing nine pounds or more. This can cause problems with labor, such as the need for a C-section, more tearing during birth and heavier bleeding after delivery.
- If you have pregnancy diabetes, your baby may develop jaundice or experience breathing problems.
- If you have GD, you have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure and preeclampsia.
The physicians at Athens ObGyn know how to manage a high-risk pregnancy
The highly trained physicians at Athens ObGyn will take very good care of you if you are one of the approximately one in 10 women who develop diabetes during pregnancy. Rest assured, if you develop symptoms of concern, our obstetrics staff will compassionately and carefully monitor your high-risk pregnancy to keep you and your baby safe. Contact us for an appointment.
