Official government website of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia How to verify
Links to official Saudi websites end with .gov.sa

All links to official websites of government agencies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia end with gov.sa. gov.sa.

Government websites use the HTTPS protocol for encryption and security.

Secure websites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia use the HTTPS protocol for encryption.

During Pregnancy

Home

Gestational Diabetes

Introduction:
Gestational diabetes is any change in blood sugar levels that is diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy, whether the condition continues after childbirth or not.

  • In gestational diabetes, blood sugar usually returns to normal after delivery.
  • This condition develops when placental hormones prevent the body from using insulin effectively, which leads to sugar remaining in the blood instead of being absorbed by the cells.
  • The condition is diagnosed as “gestational diabetes", whether the female requires insulin or just some adjustments in her diet.

 

Risk Factors:
Any pregnant woman can develop gestational diabetes, but some women are at greater risk due to the following factors:

  • Advanced age.
  • Family History.
  • Excess weight.
  • Previous delivery of an infant with a high birthweight.

 

Complications:

  • Newborn with an excessive birthweight.
  • Newborn may develop low blood sugar shortly after birth
  • Fetal abnormalities.
  • Increased chances of developing preeclampsia.

 

Treatment:
Treatment may vary based on age, health status and other factors. Some treatment options may include:

  • Dietary Modifications..
  • Exercising.
  • Insulin.

 

Instructions:

  • Blood glucose levels must be maintained and monitored at home, and the results should be recorded.
  • Pregnant women must follow up with pregnancy clinics and diabetes clinics regularly and on time
  • Pregnant women should stick to a healthy diet as instructed by nutritionists.
  • Pregnant women should exercise as instructed by their doctors.
  • Urine must be tested daily to make sure there are no ketones present
  •  Diabetes medications or any other medications should be avoided.

For further information:

Last Update : 12 September 2019 04:41 PM
Reading times :