Gestational Diabetes

Video 12 of 20
1 min 16 sec
English
English
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Gestational Diabetes is a special type of diabetes which is first discovered during pregnancy. It occurs in roughly 4% of pregnancies and in most cases, it will go away after the baby is born. Very few people require insulin to control gestational diabetes and most cases are kept under control by diet and exercise. However, if insulin is required, it will ensure blood glucose levels stay in the healthy range as much as possible. Levels of insulin will increase progressively from the 2nd trimester until the last month of gestation, when a slight fall off may be seen. During the delivery of the baby, Caesarean sections are more common than in non-diabetic people, as this reduces the risk of any complications. Also, the timing of delivery will be individualised to the Mother. In most cases, where the diabetes is not that serious, the pregnancy may be continued to the full forty weeks and after delivery, the diabetes should largely disappear, however all women should be seen by the gestational diabetes care team around six weeks after delivery.