Types of Diabetes

Diabetes that occurs only in pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. It is usually diagnosed at 24-28 weeks of gestation in pregnant women without a previous history of diabetes. Screening at the first prenatal visit is recommended for women with risk factors for undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes. In the U.S., a two-step approach is most commonly performed. The first step involves the pregnant woman drinking a 50 g glucose load when non-fasting. A blood sugar of >135-140 mg/dL after 1 hour is considered positive leading to the second step. The diagnostic step requires the pregnant woman to drink 100 g glucose for a 3-hour test done while fasting. The diabetes diagnosis depends on the blood sugar criteria used by your obstetrician. If diagnosed with gestational diabetes, women should have lifelong screening for the development of diabetes or prediabetes at least every 3 years.

Optimizing the control of diabetes during pregnancy is of paramount importance to both the mother and baby. In conjunction with your obstetric care, our practice will provide diabetes expertise to help you achieve the best outcome for your pregnancy. Our medical nutrition support, along with a wide range of downloadable glucose meters and technologies, can assist you to meet your individual diabetic needs.