The “orange drink” that pregnant women must sip between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy is a topic that many have heard about or seen firsthand. Women have been telling each other tales about the drink’s sticky, overly sweet taste and having to wait in the doctor’s office for blood testing.
But the discomfort is worthwhile for this effective screening. It helps pregnant women identify and get a diagnosis of gestational diabetes normal range. The prevalence of gestational diabetes among pregnant women is around 10%.
- Excessive weight at birth
- Respiratory distress syndrome and premature birth
- delivery with low blood sugar
- later-life chance of developing type 2 diabetes
How can you determine whether you possess it?
Gestational diabetes signs and indications are typically absent in pregnant women. A blood sugar test, usually administered between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, is the only way to know.
Some women may see the following modest symptoms and indicators of gestational diabetes:
- Often urinating
Fluid imbalance can result from gestational diabetes. An excessive amount of liquid is released by the kidney and is excreted as urine. You consequently experience frequent urination urges.
You may become dehydrated more quickly than usual due to your frequent urination.
- Nausea
You experience a wide range of physical and emotional changes while pregnant. For example, during pregnancy, nausea is frequent.
Some women experience a reduction in nausea and vomiting throughout the first trimester. But for some people, it continues throughout pregnancy.
Pregnancy-related diabetes might make you sicker and occasionally make you want to throw up.
- Thirst
Women may drink slightly more water than usual during pregnancy as their water consumption may fluctuate. Nevertheless, diabetic pregnant women frequently experience thirst.
One of the most noticeable signs of gestational diabetes is thirst. You feel incredibly thirsty despite not engaging in strenuous activity or a job.
- Tiredness
Most of the day, you feel exhausted. However, some of the symptoms can be typical during pregnancy. Additionally, they can be signs that you might have gestational diabetes.
Even after your lunch, you can still feel exhausted. But, on the other hand, you might feel sleepy the most and want to sleep all the time.
types of tests for gestational diabetes
Your doctor will advise a diabetes test if you exhibit the signs above and the symptoms. There are two ways to diagnose.
The oral glucose tolerance test, the glucose challenge test, or occasionally both.
- Test for glucose challenge
Your doctor will initially suggest a glucose screening or challenge test. You will be given a sweet beverage containing glucose to take the test. During this test, there is no need to fast.
After you have consumed the glucose beverage for one hour, the blood is drawn. You must do an oral glucose tolerance test if your blood sugar level exceeds 140.
- Test for glucose tolerance
After the glucose challenge test, the oral glucose tolerance test or glucose tolerance test is conducted. After your eight-hour fast, the glucose tolerance test is over.
After your fasting time, the blood is taken. After that, you must consume the glucose-containing liquid.
Once more, blood is taken every two to three hours. The blood sugar level is computed during fasting, an hour following the fast, two hours, and finally, three hours.
Elevated blood glucose levels indicate the presence of gestational diabetes during examinations. The mean is computed, and the doctor will discuss the results with you.
Symptoms
You might not ever experience gestational diabetic symptoms. Most expectant mothers don’t. Because of this, your doctor must check you for it, often between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy. After a glucose load, the test measures your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.
Some pregnant women catch a glimpse of gestational diabetes in its early stages. However, because they are also typical of all pregnant women, it is simple to overlook them as a warning sign for a problem.
Pregnancy-related diabetic symptoms include:
- Having a thirst. You might feel the need to chug far more alcohol than usual. Even if you haven’t consumed anything salty, been active outdoors on a hot day, or done anything else that would typically make you desire an additional glass of water, you’ll still feel thirsty.
- Being weary. If you have exhaustion even in the morning, it may be due to something other than the strain of being pregnant. If you think you could be at risk for gestational diabetes, ask your doctor.
- Experiencing dry mouth. Your increased thirst could go hand in hand with a dry mouth. If you feel parched, try to drink more water. They both might be indicators of gestational diabetes.
When to Visit a Physician?
Whether you have symptoms or not, gestational diabetes screenings are performed on all pregnant women. But if you start to experience any of the symptoms, you should consult your doctor to treat gestational diabetes.
If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your doctor may ask you to come in more frequently for the remainder of your pregnancy so they can monitor your health more closely. Additionally, you might need to adhere to a rigorous diet and exercise regimen, check your blood sugar levels frequently, and take medication to manage your gestational diabetes.
Conclusion
Adequate glycemic management is crucial in preventing complications since gestational diabetes can affect both the mother and the foetus. For many women, non-pharmacologic interventions, including diet and exercise, suffice to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Nevertheless, some women might need different pharmacologic treatments; in this instance, insulin is frequently the primary option, followed by metformin or glyburide.
The most common recommendation is for patients with gestational diabetes to self-monitor their blood glucose levels 1 or 2 hours postprandially to ensure they attain an adequate glycemic control level. These women should also undergo postpartum screening since they have a higher chance of acquiring overt diabetes.
