What is prediabetes? How can you recognize the risk factors for prediabetes? What are the symptoms of prediabetes? How can you manage and prevent prediabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes?

Understanding Prediabetes

Prediabetes is a condition where an individual’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. It is a precursor to the development of full-blown type 2 diabetes, and without intervention, it can progress to diabetes within 10 years.

According to healthcare providers, prediabetes has reached “epidemic” levels, with one-third of U.S. adults now classified as having this condition. The concern is that even before an individual is diagnosed with diabetes, prediabetes can start to have negative effects on the body, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Recognizing the Risk Factors for Prediabetes

Since prediabetes often has no clear signs or symptoms, it’s essential to be aware of the risk factors. Common risk factors for prediabetes include:

• Being overweight or obese
• Having a family history of type 2 diabetes
• Being physically active less than 3 times per week
• Being age 45 or older
• Having had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
• Being African American, Hispanic, American Indian, or Asian American

Symptoms of Prediabetes

One of the challenges with prediabetes is that it usually doesn’t have any obvious symptoms. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that around 90% of people with prediabetes don’t even know they have it. The only way to know is to get your blood glucose or blood sugar tested regularly.

Interpreting Blood Sugar Test Results

To determine if someone has prediabetes, healthcare providers will look at two key blood tests:

1. Fasting Blood Glucose: A fasting blood glucose result between 100-125 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) would indicate prediabetes, while a result of 126 mg/dL or higher would indicate diabetes.
2. A1C: An A1C test measures the average amount of glucose (sugar) stuck to the blood over the past 2-3 months. An A1C result between 5.8-6.4% would fall into the prediabetes range, while 6.5% or higher would indicate diabetes.

Reversing Prediabetes

The good news is that prediabetes can be reversed through lifestyle changes. Some key steps to help prevent prediabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes include:

• Regular Exercise: Aim for 30 minutes of activity, such as walking, jogging, or resistance training, at least 5 times per week.
• Managing Stress: Find healthy ways to cope with stress, as it can undermine your lifestyle goals.
• Healthy Eating: Work with a dietitian or diabetes education program to learn about making nutritious food choices.
• Medication: In some cases, healthcare providers may prescribe medication to help manage prediabetes.
• Support Groups: Connecting with others facing similar challenges can provide valuable encouragement and accountability.

Participating in a Certified National Diabetes Prevention Program has been shown to reduce the risk of developing diabetes by up to 50%, though it does require a significant time commitment.

Taking Action Against Prediabetes

If you fall into one of the high-risk categories for prediabetes, it’s crucial to take action. Start by talking to your healthcare provider about getting your blood sugar tested. From there, you can work together to develop a plan to prevent prediabetes from progressing to full-blown type 2 diabetes. Remember, with the right lifestyle changes, prediabetes can often be reversed, reducing your risk of serious health complications down the line.

Conclusion

Prediabetes is a serious condition that affects millions of adults in the United States, but it doesn’t have to lead to type 2 diabetes. By understanding the risk factors, recognizing the signs, and taking proactive steps to manage your health, you can prevent prediabetes from progressing and protect your long-term wellbeing. Start the conversation with your healthcare provider today and take control of your diabetes risk.

Signs, Symptoms and How to Reverse It

One-third of United States adults have prediabetes, but does that really matter? After all, these adults aren’t diabetic yet, so the health risk isn’t actually there, right? Wrong. UnityPoint Diabetologist, David Trachtenbarg, MD, talks about how to prevent prediabetes from becoming diabetes.

What is Prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a condition where blood sugar levels aren’t high enough to diagnose Type 2 diabetes, but without change, will usually develop into diabetes within 10 years.

“The large number of adults who already have prediabetes indicates millions of people will develop diabetes, which is a disease with many serious complications,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

This is the concern of healthcare providers across the country, so much so that some have labeled prediabetes as “an epidemic that’s out of control.” There’s good reason to take prediabetes seriously. Even before an adult is diagnosed with diabetes, prediabetes can start to have negative effects on the body.

“Prediabetes is more common than overt diabetes, if you have prediabetes, you are at increased risk for heart disease and strokes in addition to the risk of developing overt diabetes,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

Signs and Symptoms of Prediabetes

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 90% of people with prediabetes don’t know they have it. That’s because it usually doesn’t have symptoms. 

Common Prediabetes Risk Factors:

• You’re overweight or obese
• You have a family history of Type 2 diabetes
• You’re physically active less than 3 times per week
• You’re age 45 or older
• You’ve had gestational diabetes during pregnancy
• You are African American, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian American

“Since prediabetes doesn’t have clear signs and symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor about getting your blood glucose, or blood sugar, tested regularly,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

How to Read Blood Sugar Results

For someone who is diabetic, a fasting blood glucose result would be 126 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter) or higher. Blood glucose results would fall in the 100-125 mg/dL for the prediabetes range. 

A provider might also do another blood test, an A1C, which looks at the amount of glucose (sugar) stuck to blood. A1C results of 6.5% or higher would point to diabetes; 5.8-6.4% is categorized as prediabetes.

Prediabetes Can be Reversed

Luckily, prediabetes can be reversed. If identified, the progression toward diabetes can be prevented through lifestyle changes, such as diet and regular exercise.  

“Controlling weight is a key factor. For people with prediabetes, even a 5% weight loss can be a powerful preventive measure,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

5 Ways to Reverse or Prevent Prediabetes 

• Get regular exercise. Try walking, jogging or resistance training for 30 minutes, five times per week. Adding resistance training (weights) three times a week helps even more.
• Manage stress. Stress can cause you to lose sight of your goals. Try these 11 stress relief activities.
• Learn about healthy eating. Talk to a UnityPoint Health dietitian or investigate local diabetes education programs.
• Consider medication. In some cases, healthcare providers may prescribe medication. Talk to your doctor to determine if this is an option for you.
• Find a support group. People with similar goals and challenges can help you through struggles.

“Participating in a Certified National Diabetes Prevention Program has been shown to reduce your chance of developing diabetes by up to 50%. However, like many other lifestyle changes, these programs require a significant time commitment,” Dr. Trachtenbarg says.

Are you included in the number of adults who have prediabetes? Take this quick diabetes assessment to determine how at-risk you are for the disease. For questions about reversing prediabetes or prediabetes treatment options, talk to your UnityPoint Health provider.

Borderline diabetes (prediabetes): Symptoms, causes, and treatments

Borderline diabetes, known as prediabetes, is where a person’s blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

Prediabetes is a condition that can progress to type 2 diabetes.

Research shows that this progression occurs in about 25% of people with prediabetes within 3–5 years. Overall, up to 70% of people with prediabetes will develop diabetes at some point in their life.

Doctors may also refer to borderline diabetes as impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose.

This article looks at how to recognize risk factors for prediabetes, manage the condition, and prevent type 2 diabetes from developing.

Borderline diabetes does not have clear symptoms. Some people may not be aware that they have it until:

• a doctor performs a blood glucose test and urinalysis
• it has progressed to type 2 diabetes
• a complication occurs, such as a heart attack

If a person’s blood sugar level remains high, they may begin to develop some symptoms of type 2 diabetes. These include frequent urination and increased thirst.

However, most people will not know they have prediabetes until they receive testing.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a range of other conditions and factors can increase the risk of prediabetes, including:

• obesity, especially when it involves a large waist size
• high blood pressure
• high levels of triglycerides, a type of fat
• low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol
• low levels of physical activity

People with a family history of type 2 diabetes may also have an increased risk, suggesting that genetics play a role.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the following lifestyle factors may also be a risk for prediabetes in some people:

• raised stress levels
• smoking
• drinking too much alcohol

Regularly consuming high sugar drinks may also increase the risk. A 2017 review found that people who regularly drink sugary beverages face an increased risk of metabolic diseases, such as high blood pressure and high levels of blood glucose and triglycerides. These metabolic conditions can lead to prediabetes and diabetes.

People who lead an inactive lifestyle also have a higher risk of taking in too many calories without burning them through exercise.

Other people who may be at risk of developing prediabetes include those who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or have experienced instances of high blood sugar levels in the past.

Anyone with any of these risk factors may benefit from a prediabetes screening to check whether they have the condition.

A doctor typically uses blood tests to diagnose prediabetes. A glucose tolerance test is particularly useful because it measures how quickly the body can process the sugar in the blood in a 2-hour period.

Other options include a fasting blood test, which measures blood sugar levels after a person has not eaten for a specific period, and an A1C test, which measures the average blood sugar levels over 2–3 months. People do not need to fast or take any special liquids or medications for the A1C test, and it gives reliable results.

The American Diabetes Association states that a doctor will diagnose prediabetes when test results show the following measurements:

• fasting blood sugar levels of 100–125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl)
• glucose tolerance levels of 140–199 mg/dl
• an A1C test result of 5.7–6.4%

A doctor will often re-test these levels to confirm that the readings are not due to one-off spikes in blood sugar.

Who should undergo screening for prediabetes?

The NIDDK recommends that people with the following risk factors undergo a prediabetes screening:

• an age of 45 years or over
• a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher
• a waist circumference larger than 40 inches in males or 35 inches in females
• a close relative with diabetes
• a condition that increases insulin resistance, including PCOS, acanthosis nigricans, and non-alcohol-related steatohepatitis
• certain racial or ethnic backgrounds, including African American, Asian American, Hispanic, Latino, Native American, Alaska Native, and Pacific Islander
• a history of gestational diabetes, which is diabetes during pregnancy
• having given birth to an infant weighing more than 9 pounds
• having a disease that hardens the arteries
• recent treatment with glucocorticoids or atypical antipsychotic medications

If a doctor identifies any of these risk factors, they may recommend that the person has a screening to check their blood glucose levels.

Medical professionals advise repeating screening tests every 1–3 years for people with these risk factors.

The NIDDK has an official resource that people can use to check their diabetes risk.

However, anyone who is concerned that they may have borderline diabetes should visit a doctor for testing and a diagnosis.

Prediabetes is reversible, but it is often easier to prevent than treat. Lifestyle factors are the primary cause of prediabetes, and making changes in some aspects of life can significantly reduce the risk.

Diet

Alongside regular exercise, a balanced, nutritious diet that moderates sugar intake can help reverse borderline diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association, many people can improve their diet by:

• increasing the intake of unprocessed high fiber carbohydrates
• increasing fruit and vegetable consumption
• reducing the intake of saturated fats and processed meat

Learn more about what to eat with prediabetes.

Physical activity

Exercise is also important. Research shows that regular physical activity may help slow the progression of prediabetes to diabetes.

The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. In addition, they should perform muscle-strengthening exercises, such as lifting weights or doing pushups, at least twice a week.

Examples of moderate-intensity exercise are fast dancing and brisk walking.

Regular exercise and a nutritious diet not only help reduce the risk of developing diabetes but also protect the heart against future diseases.

Combining nutrition and exercise

In addition, there is strong evidence for the benefits of combining exercise and dietary interventions in reducing diabetes risk and reversing prediabetes.

This primarily comes from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), which was a long-term study aiming to identify practical steps to prevent diabetes. The people who took part in the DPP Lifestyle Change Program aimed to lose 7% of their body weight and maintain this loss through dietary changes and physical activity.

All of the participants in the program received advice on how to diet and exercise, and they attended lifestyle change classes for the duration of the study.

After 3 years, in comparison with those who took a placebo, people in the program had a 58% drop in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes regardless of sex or ethnicity. Among those aged 60 years and older, the decrease in risk was 71%.

The researchers held regular follow-up sessions. After 15 years, people in the DPP Lifestyle Change Program continued to see a delay in the onset of diabetes compared with people who took a medication called metformin or a placebo.

Anyone who developed diabetes during the study received extra medical care. However, diet and exercise remained important in managing the symptoms and reducing the risk of complications.

Regular monitoring

Managing prediabetes also involves continual monitoring of the risk factors and regular testing of blood sugar levels.

In addition to lifestyle changes, doctors may recommend other ways to minimize the risk of developing diabetes. Medical management may include treating related conditions, such as obesity and heart disease.

Prediabetes is the stage before type 2 diabetes develops. By this stage, blood sugar and insulin resistance may start reaching harmful levels.

Prediabetes does not usually cause active symptoms, and most people will not be aware that they have the condition until it progresses to diabetes and starts causing severe health problems.

Therefore, it is advisable for anyone who is at risk of developing diabetes to undergo regular screening. Risk factors include high BMI and waist circumference, an age of 45 years or older, and the presence of other cardiovascular diseases.

Prediabetes is often reversible with a sustained exercise program and a balanced, low sugar diet.

Below, we answer some commonly asked questions about prediabetes.

Which foods should I eat if I have prediabetes?

Fat and fiber tend to slow absorption and lower what is called the glycemic index (GI) of foods. Low GI fruits and vegetables, such as stone-ground whole wheat bread, rolled or steel-cut oatmeal, nonstarchy vegetables, and whole fruits are good choices. Experts consider a low GI food to have a rating of 55 or less. A person can use this database to find the GI of common foods.

What are the complications of prediabetes?

Even if it does not progress to type 2 diabetes, prediabetes can lead to long-term cardiovascular and kidney damage.

Can children have prediabetes?

In a 2019 study involving 5,786 people, 18% of the 2,606 adolescents — those aged 12–18 years — had prediabetes. Among the 3,180 young adults, the prevalence was 24%.

Many children who develop type 2 diabetes do not receive a diagnosis until adolescence. This is, in part, because puberty hormones can make it harder for the body to regulate insulin. Parents and caregivers can help prevent diabetes in children by encouraging them to eat a balanced diet and engage in plenty of physical activity.

Can prediabetes progress to type 1 diabetes?

Prediabetes refers to a metabolic state that is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. It cannot evolve into type 1 diabetes. However, there is research on a parallel disease called pre-type 1 diabetes, in which a person’s immune system displays certain characteristics that indicate progression to type 1 diabetes.

Learn about the differences between type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

How long does it take to reverse prediabetes?

With a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, and prescribed medical interventions, a person may be able to reverse prediabetes in about 3 years.

How to properly prepare for a blood test for sugar (glucose). Preparing for sugar analysis.

What does a blood sugar test show?

The analysis shows the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood, which can indicate the presence of diabetes and other diseases.

Low sugar levels (hypoglycemia) can signal diseases of the pancreas, liver, kidneys and adrenal glands, as well as the hypothalamus.

The most common cause of high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) is diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycemia can also speak of other endocrine diseases, problems of the liver and hypothalamus, and a constant inflammatory process in the body.

There is also a glucose tolerance test (also known as a glucose tolerance test or GTT), which is carried out to detect prediabetes, and is also prescribed for pregnant women.

Test indications

Symptoms that may be caused by low blood sugar include:

• constant lethargy, fatigue;
• increased sweating;
• anxiety;
• bouts of hunger.

Symptoms that high blood sugar can cause include:

• rapid breathing;
• dry mouth, thirst;
• dry skin;
• decreased clarity of vision;
• frequent urge to urinate;
• poor wound healing;
• itching of the skin and mucous membranes;
• weight loss.

If you notice some of the listed symptoms behind you, make an appointment with a general practitioner, he will diagnose and write out a referral for the necessary analysis.

With both deviations from the norm, an unstable mental state, mood swings can be observed.

How sugar is tested

A blood sugar test is done by taking blood either from a finger (capillary blood) or from a vein under the elbow (venous blood).

Blood sugar norms

l The norm of blood sugar in an adult is:

• 3.3–5.5 mmol/l (for capillary blood sampling)
• 3.7–6.1 mmol/l (at collection)

If the mark exceeds 6.1 mmol/l, it is necessary to be examined.

In order for your results to be reliable, you need to properly prepare for the test for sugar.

How to take a blood sugar test

So that the test results do not turn out to be false, it is necessary to follow some rules for preparing the patient for a blood test for sugar. Otherwise, a retake of the analysis may be required (and this is a waste of your time and money), or an incorrect diagnosis and treatment may be prescribed.

Can I drink water before testing for sugar?

You can drink water. But no more – it is necessary to exclude alcoholic and containing sugar and sweeteners drinks.

Preparing for a glucose test

• On an empty stomach. 8-hour or better 12-hour fasting. Drink only water. Alcohol (for 102 days it is better to exclude) and sweet drinks are strictly prohibited.
• Better sleep well
• Avoid intense mental work, stress and outbursts of emotions. The body can increase blood glucose levels during a stressful situation. Excessive emotions can suppress insulin production.
• It is best not to brush your teeth with sugary toothpaste.
• No smoking. (with diabetes it is better to exclude smoking altogether)
• Be careful with medication. If necessary, treatment of acute or chronic episodes of the disease should warn the doctor about the existing problems and reschedule the study or interpret its results in accordance with the ability of some drugs to raise or lower the studied parameters
• During the period of colds or other acute infections, the result may be false positive
• On the eve of the analysis, you should not participate in feasts, eat tightly before bedtime, drink alcohol, get involved in fatty foods, fast food, etc.
• Immediately after therapeutic procedures and serious studies (massage, ultrasound, X-ray, physiotherapy), you cannot take a sugar test.
• On the eve and before donating blood for sugar, it is better not to engage in active sports. It is better to spend the day and morning before the analysis in the usual calm mode.

What not to eat before a sugar test

What can you eat before a sugar test?

If you need to prepare for a blood glucose test, but you are overcome by hunger, then eat something light and healthy. For example:

• boiled/baked chicken
• green vegetables
• cereals

Can I brush my teeth before donating blood for sugar

It is not recommended to brush your teeth before the examination, because. toothpastes contain sugar, which is well absorbed through the oral mucosa and can affect the accuracy of the analysis. Avoid chewing gum as well.

Preparation for blood sugar test during pregnancy

Preparing for a glucose tolerance test for pregnant women does not differ from the above measures. It is recommended to do a glucose tolerance test for a period of 24-28 weeks.

Typically, pregnant women are prescribed such a test to prevent excessive weight gain in the fetus, which can be caused by an increase in maternal blood sugar. And this can happen even if you have never had diabetes. After all, the heavy loads that the body experiences when carrying a fetus can reveal some pathologies that appear only at the time of expectation of the baby. Such diseases include diabetes mellitus.

Gestational Diabetes – IVF Clinic Bahçeci

How is Gestational Diabetes Diagnosed?

Diabetes mellitus is an extremely important medical problem when the pancreas produces very little or no insulin. Diabetes, the number of diseases of which is increasing along with obesity, has become a global health problem.

Diabetes is a metabolic disease that is associated with the metabolism of proteins, fats and especially carbohydrates. Without insulin, sugar and other nutrients cannot get to the cells that need them. Thus, when cells lack sugar, blood glucose levels rise to above normal levels. There are two different forms of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas cannot supply enough insulin to the body. Usually the diagnosis is made at an early age. Type 1 diabetes is always treated with insulin. Type 2 diabetes is known as non-insulin dependent diabetes. In women, it is observed especially in combination with polycystic ovary syndrome. However, a woman who has never been diagnosed with diabetes may be diagnosed with diabetes during pregnancy. This condition, known as gestational diabetes, may go away on its own after pregnancy. Women at risk for gestational diabetes include women with a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and overweight. Gestational diabetes occurs in about 3 percent of all pregnant women, but in about 10 percent of these cases, the condition becomes permanent.

How does Gestational Diabetes develop?

Women with gestational diabetes do not have diabetes before pregnancy. Although these women have adequate insulin levels, the hormones produced by the placenta prevent the action of insulin, and therefore blood sugar levels rise. This effect usually increases at the 20th and 24th weeks of pregnancy. However, in overweight women, blood glucose levels may be high from the first months of pregnancy. As the placenta leaves the mother’s body at birth, these hormones stop being produced and the disease goes away.

Who is at Risk for Gestational Diabetes?

• Women with a family history of diabetes,
• Women who are overweight,
• Women whose previously born children weighed more than 4 kg,
• Women who have had a miscarriage,
• Pregnant women over 25,
• Women with high blood glucose levels in previous pregnancies,
• Women who have sugar in their urine.

What Should People with Gestational Diabetes Do?

Women at risk for gestational diabetes should have an oral glucose tolerance test during the first months of pregnancy. Even if diabetes is not diagnosed at this stage, the test should be repeated at 20-24 weeks of gestation.

Because this condition is asymptomatic, all pregnant women should be tested for gestational diabetes. During an oral glucose tolerance test, a solution containing 50 g of glucose is given at any time of the day. An hour later, the level of glucose in the blood is assessed. If the blood glucose level exceeds 140 mg/dl, another test with 100 g of glucose is performed, as the situation is considered risky. If the results show glucose levels below 140 mg/dl, there is no risk of developing diabetes.

If a pregnant woman has a fasting glucose level of more than 126 g/dL, or if the glucose level measured at any time is more than 200 g/dL, she had diabetes before pregnancy.

How does Gestational Diabetes affect the baby?

In women with gestational diabetes, blood sugar levels usually rise around the 24th week. This does not lead to any deviations in the development of the baby. However, if the disease is diagnosed during the first trimester, the expectant mother should be careful. Women diagnosed with diabetes before pregnancy can also have healthy babies. However, these women should have their blood glucose checked regularly.

Gestational diabetes is an important risk factor as it leads to high birth weight. Because the mother’s blood sugar is high, the baby’s pancreas produces more insulin, which leads to weight gain. Therefore, a caesarean section may be required. The baby may have low blood sugar at birth, so the baby’s blood sugar must be monitored. In addition, these children may suffer from low levels of calcium and magnesium, which should also be monitored.

What should I look out for in Gestational Diabetes?

There are two ways to monitor gestational diabetes. The first way is to control the mother’s blood sugar levels. The second way is to monitor the development of the child. The most important thing in gestational diabetes is to keep blood sugar under control. Blood sugar levels are maintained between 60 and 120 mg/dL with regular blood tests. It is necessary to measure blood sugar levels on an empty stomach and after meals. In addition, blood sugar levels should be measured before dinner and at 22:30 (sometimes at 3-4 am). Fasting blood sugar should be at or below 95 mg/dl; and postprandial blood sugar levels should be equal to or below 140 mg/dL (one hour after a meal) and 120 mg/dL (two hours after a meal). In addition, it is important to measure the level of ketone bodies in the urine from time to time. High urinary ketone levels are an important marker of diabetes.

Nutrition and Exercise

Acceptable weight gain during pregnancy is 9 to 12 kg. If a woman was overweight before pregnancy, then the corresponding weight gain is 7-8 kg; and if she was underweight, the corresponding weight gain should be 17-20 kg. Exercise and a healthy lifestyle are essential for diabetes. This is because exercise helps lower blood sugar levels as well as keep them under control. Pregnant women are advised to go for walks 4-5 times a week. In addition to walking, they can do 45 minutes of daily aerobic exercise. While nutrition is very important for all pregnant women, it is even more important for women with gestational diabetes. Preference should be given to vegetables, whole grains, dried legumes, and meaty foods. Olive oil, whole grain bread, low-fat yogurt, and low-fat milk should be consumed. Margarine should not be consumed, and carbohydrate intake should be limited. Carbohydrates should not exceed 40% of the total daily calorie intake. Another important point is the values ​​​​of blood pressure. Blood pressure should be monitored regularly; in case systolic blood pressure is over 140 and diastolic blood pressure is over 90, you should contact your doctor immediately.

When and How is Gestational Diabetes Treated with Insulin?

If fasting blood sugar is greater than 105 mg/dl despite diet, and blood sugar is greater than 120 mg/dl within 2 hours of a meal, insulin treatment is required. Pregnant women who start insulin treatment should monitor their blood sugar levels at home. Insulin can be taken several times a day, as directed by your doctor. Oral antidiabetic agents are not used during pregnancy as they pass through the placenta.

Childbirth and the Postpartum Period

Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes may have a vaginal delivery. However, the condition of the child is a major factor in the decision. Delivery usually occurs at 38 weeks of gestation. If blood sugar levels remain high during labor, insulin is administered through a drip. With regular monitoring, you can give birth to a healthy baby.

During the postpartum period, the mother’s diet should be the same as during pregnancy. When blood sugar returns to normal, insulin treatment ends. For this reason, blood sugar levels should be measured regularly on the day of delivery and the following days. If blood sugar levels after childbirth are within the normal range, it should still be measured 1-2 months after childbirth.