Diabetes in pregnancy
Even with diabetes during pregnancy, you can still have a safe and healthy pregnancy and delivery with the right medical care and support in conjunction with healthy lifestyle changes. OB/GYN Smita Biswas, MD, has extensive experience and expertise caring for pregnant women with gestational diabetes and helping control and manage blood sugar levels at her two practice locations in Midtown East, New York City, and Flushing, Queens, New York. Make an appointment online or call the office nearest you today.
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Diabetes that develops or occurs during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes also impacts the way your cells utilize sugar. Gestational diabetes results in high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and the health of your baby.
If you have gestational diabetes, your baby has an increased risk of:
- Excessive birth weight
- Early or preterm birth
- Respiratory distress syndrome
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Type 2 diabetes later in life
Luckily, pregnant women with gestational diabetes can have a safe and healthy pregnancy with the right healthy lifestyle changes and medical care and support, which is precisely what Dr. Biswas provides.
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Most women with gestational diabetes don’t exhibit noticeable signs or symptoms. If you have gestational diabetes, you might experience:
- Fatigue
- More frequent urination
- More frequent hunger and thirst
If you’re thinking about becoming pregnant, Dr. Biswas can evaluate your risk of gestational diabetes and guide you through all your options.
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Unfortunately, it still isn’t clear what causes gestational diabetes. However, if you develop gestational diabetes, the placenta that connects your baby to your blood supply produces high levels of various hormones. Almost all these hormones can impair the action of insulin in your cells and raise your blood sugar. Keep in mind that a modest elevation of blood sugar following meals is normal during pregnancy.
With gestational diabetes, the placental hormones prompt a rise in blood sugar to a level that can affect the welfare and growth of your baby. If you’re obese or overweight or have a family or personal health history of diabetes and gestational diabetes or prediabetes, you have an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes.
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While Dr. Biswas will professionally monitor your blood sugar, she will also ask you to independently monitor your blood sugar daily.
This may require checking your blood sugar four or five times a day, especially first thing in the morning and following meals, to ensure you maintain healthy levels. Furthermore, Dr. Biswas will show you how to test your blood sugar, educate you on how to live a healthier lifestyle that includes consuming a nutrient-dense diet, and help manage your stress.
When diet and exercise aren’t enough, you might need insulin injections to lower your blood sugar.
Fortunately, Dr. Biswas works with high-risk specialists to manage your gestational diabetes. She emphasizes changing your nutritional habits and adding exercise to regulate gestational diabetes instead of administering medication. To learn more, call Smita Biswas, MD, or schedule online today.