How is gestational diabetes treated?

If you have GDM, your prenatal care provider wants to see you more often at prenatal care checkups so she can monitor you and your baby closely to help prevent problems. At each checkup, you get tests to make sure you and your baby are doing well. Tests include a nonstress test and a biophysical profile. The nonstress test checks your baby’s heart rate. The biophysical profile is a nonstress test with an ultrasound. An ultrasound uses sound waves and a computer screen to show a picture of your baby in the womb.

Your provider also may ask you to do kick counts (also called fetal movement counts). This is way for you to keep track of how often your baby moves in the womb. Here are two ways to do kick counts:

1. Every day, time how long it takes for your baby to move ten times. If it takes longer than 2 hours, tell your provider.
2. See how many movements you feel in 1 hour. Do this three times each week. If the number changes, tell your provider.

If you have GDM, your provider tells you how often to check your blood sugar, what your levels should be and how to manage them during pregnancy. Blood sugar is affected by pregnancy, what you eat and drink, how much physical activity you get. You may need to eat differently and be more active. You also may need to take insulin shots or other medicines. 

Treatment for GDM can help reduce your risk for pregnancy complications. Your provider begins treatment with monitoring your blood sugar levels, healthy eating and physical activity. If this doesn’t do enough to control your blood sugar, you may need medicine. Insulin is the most common medicine for GDM. It’s safe to take during pregnancy.  

Here’s what you can do to help manage gestational diabetes:

• Go to all your prenatal care checkups, even if you’re feeling fine.
• Follow your provider’s directions about how often to check your blood sugar. Your provider shows you how to check your blood sugar on your own. She tells you how often to check it and what to do if it’s too high. Keep a log that includes your blood sugar level every time you check it. Share the log with your provider at each checkup. Most women can check their blood sugar four times each day: once after fasting (first thing in the morning before you’ve eaten) and again after each meal.
• Eat healthy foods. Eat three regular meals and two to three snacks each day. Have one of the snacks at night. Talk to your provider about the right kinds of foods to eat to help control your blood sugar.
• Do something active every day. Try to get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity at least 5 days each week. Talk to your provider about activities that are safe during pregnancy, like walking. Walk for 10 to 15 minutes after each meal to help control your blood sugar.
• If you take medicine for diabetes, take it exactly as your provider tells you to. If you take insulin, your provider teaches you how to give yourself insulin shots. Tell your provider about any medicine you take, even medicine that’s not related to GDM. Some medicines can be harmful during pregnancy, so your provider may need to change them to ones that are safer for you and your baby. Don’t start or stop taking any medicine during pregnancy without talking to your provider first.
• Check your weight gain during pregnancy. Gaining too much weight or gaining weight too fast can make it harder to manage your blood sugar. Talk to your provider about the right amount of weight to gain during pregnancy. 

If you have gestational diabetes, how can you help prevent getting diabetes later in life?

For most women, gestational diabetes goes away after giving birth. But having it makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. Type 2 diabetes is the most common kind of diabetes. If you have type 2 diabetes, your pancreas makes too little insulin or your body becomes resistant to it (can’t use it normally).  

Here’s what you can do to help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy:

• Breastfeed. Breastfeeding can help you lose weight after pregnancy. Being overweight makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
• Get tested for diabetes 4 to 12 weeks after your baby is born. If the test is normal, get tested again every 1 to 3 years.
• Get to and stay at a healthy weight.
• Talk to your provider about medicine that may help prevent type 2 diabetes. 

Last reviewed: April, 2019

 

 

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Category: Pregnancy