What is gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that is first diagnosed during pregnancy. High blood sugar can cause problems for you and your baby. With treatment and lifestyle changes, you can manage your blood sugar and have a healthy baby. Blood sugar levels often go back to normal after you give birth.

Gestational diabetes may not cause symptoms, so you need to be tested for it.

You could have another type of diabetes without knowing it. Common symptoms of high blood sugar include:

• Feeling very thirsty.
• Urinating more often than usual.
• Feeling very hungry.
• Having blurred vision.

It's common to urinate more often and feel more hungry during pregnancy. So having these symptoms doesn't always mean that you have gestational diabetes. But if you have these symptoms at any time during pregnancy, talk with your doctor. Your doctor can help you get tested for diabetes.

Your doctor will check your blood pressure at every visit. You'll also have tests throughout your pregnancy to check your baby's health. These include:

• Fetal ultrasound. It may be used to estimate the age, weight, and health of your baby. It also can measure your baby, including the size of the head and abdomen. These measurements, plus other information, can help your doctor decide on your care.
• Nonstress test. It records your baby's heart rate while your baby is moving and not moving. It can show how well your baby is doing.

Your doctor may recommend having a hemoglobin A1c or similar test every month during your pregnancy. The A1c test estimates your average blood sugar level over the previous 2 to 3 months.

You and your doctor will talk about how often to check your blood sugar at home. This helps you know if your blood sugar level is in your target range.

Managing your blood sugar is the key to preventing problems during pregnancy, birth, and after your baby is born.

You may be able to do this with healthy eating and regular exercise. Keeping up with these healthy habits can help prevent gestational diabetes in a future pregnancy. It can also help prevent type 2 diabetes later in life.

You may need to check your blood sugar at home to see if it's staying in your target range. If it isn't, you may need to take diabetes medicine or give yourself insulin shots.

You'll have regular checkups with your doctor. The doctor will do tests to see how you and your baby are doing. You and your baby will be watched closely during labor and after delivery.

There are ways you can manage gestational diabetes and have a healthy pregnancy. Try to eat healthy foods and stay active. Have regular checkups with your doctor. Ask how often to test your blood sugar at home. Your doctor may recommend medicine to help control your blood sugar.