Gestational Diabetes in 10 Questions

• What is diabetes?

In diabetes, which occurs when a person's glucose (sugar) levels increase, the person drinks too much water, eats too much and feels the need to urinate too much. The pancreas, located behind the stomach, secretes hormones that regulate a person's blood sugar. When insulin, one of the hormones secreted by the pancreas, is not secreted or is secreted in small amounts, sugar cannot reach the cells. Since sugar is responsible for providing cell energy in the body, when insulin is not secreted, the sugar taken into the body accumulates in the blood and is found in a higher amount than it should be. This excess sugar in the blood, like a poison, damages all cells in the body. For this reason, diabetes is a disease that disrupts vital functions.

• How common is diabetes during pregnancy?

The rate of diabetes during pregnancy is high due to reasons such as the nutritional conditions of pregnant women, the secretion levels of hormones and the inactivity of the body. In this context, it can be said that approximately 5% of pregnant women have diabetes.

• What are the symptoms of diabetes during pregnancy?

In most pregnant women, diabetes does not show any symptoms and does not cause any complaints. In such cases, problems that will put the life of the mother and the baby at risk may occur. However, in cases where regular doctor check-ups are performed, the baby's fluid level being higher than normal can be interpreted as the mother having latent diabetes. In addition, the mother drinking too much water, losing weight, eating too much, and urinating frequently are also symptoms that will raise suspicion of diabetes. The presence or absence of diabetes can be determined by performing the necessary tests, analyses, and examinations without wasting time.

• How to test for diabetes during pregnancy?

First, the expectant mother is asked not to eat anything for 12 hours and at the end of this period, her fasting blood sugar is measured. Then, 100 grams of glucose is drunk and approximately 3 hours later, her postprandial blood sugar is measured. By looking at these blood sugar values, the expectant mother's diabetes status is determined.

• Does diabetes increase during pregnancy?

Some women have diabetes in the normal period. However, it is not at a level that is advanced enough to cause symptoms and complaints. This diabetes occurs in these women during pregnancy. In some, diabetes that did not exist before develops during pregnancy . However, women who had diabetes before pregnancy and are currently receiving treatment will definitely experience these conditions during pregnancy. For this reason, blood sugar levels should be measured regularly and kept under control during pregnancy.

• Does diabetes during pregnancy harm the baby?

Expectant mothers with diabetes during pregnancy must be closely monitored and kept under control. Because the risk of serious anomalies in babies of diabetic women is very high. However, if there was no diabetes before pregnancy and the problem arose during pregnancy, the probability of the baby being harmed is low.

• Does diabetes during pregnancy cause premature birth?

Premature birth is a very common condition in expectant mothers with diabetes. Many diabetic women experience a problem such as labor starting before the 37th week of pregnancy. Diabetic mothers often experience situations such as delivering their babies earlier than normal under the supervision of a doctor. In such cases, the baby's lungs are not developed enough, and respiratory problems can be seen in premature babies.

• Does diabetes during pregnancy lead to infant death?

Although not at a very high rate, sudden infant deaths can occur in pregnancies where diabetes is not controlled or monitored. However, if the expectant mother is known to have diabetes and is regularly checked by a doctor, this risk decreases to a negligible level.

• How is diabetes treated during pregnancy?

If the level of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy is not very advanced, it may be sufficient for the mother-to-be to apply a diet program with the doctor's recommendation. However, in more advanced cases, insulin is used. Tablet drugs other than insulin are definitely not used during this period.

• Do women with diabetes experience difficulties in giving birth?

The doctor decides whether the birth will be normal or cesarean, depending on the degree and extent of diabetes during pregnancy. Diabetic mothers generally give birth before 40 weeks and by cesarean. However, if the baby does not have any anomalies and the pregnancy is normal, there is no harm in the mother having a normal birth at a normal period.