What is the treatment for gestational diabetes?

A diagnosis of gestational diabetes can add to the worry and stress of any pregnancy. Diabetes educator Annie Reed emphasizes the need for self-care and why it’s important to find a dedicated healthcare team.

Transcript

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[MUSIC PLAYING] I have a friend who has diabetes, so I know it's treatable. I know what he has to do.

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But with gestational diabetes, is it the same? What are the next steps? What do I do to treat it?

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That's a great question, Amanda, and I know this can be overwhelming. The treatment for gestational diabetes is to follow the self-care habits such as healthy eating,

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staying active, healthy coping or stress management, monitoring your blood sugars, and taking medications,

00:31

if prescribed. If this seems like a lot to learn and do, at first, just know that you have a supportive health care

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team such as Certified Diabetes Educators and Registered Dietitians there to support you so you

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can focus on what's important, preparing for your baby to arrive. I also wondered, will I have to take insulin?

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Will the shots hurt my baby? Will the insulin hurt my baby? I can understand how that would be a concern.

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Insulin is a hormone that the body makes naturally. For some women, healthy eating and staying active

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isn't enough to keep blood sugars under control. So because of that, for those women, the doctor may prescribe insulin, which

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helps keep your baby healthy. But just know that, after delivery, you often will find that your blood sugar goes back to normal

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and insulin therapy isn't needed anymore. Insulin is perfectly safe for the baby because it doesn't cross the placenta.

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The only risk of taking insulin is low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. And for anyone that takes insulin, this is a risk.

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So for that reason, it's important to know how to treat it if it goes too low. [MUSIC PLAYING]