How long does it take to recover from gestational diabetes after childbirth?

Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
Updated on November 16, 2024
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For the vast majority of pregnant women with gestational diabetes, their fasting blood glucose or glucose tolerance test can return to normal within six weeks after delivery. However, the recurrence rate of gestational diabetes during subsequent pregnancies is 50%, and about 25% to 70% of those with gestational diabetes may develop diabetes again within 16 to 25 years after giving birth. For those whose blood sugar levels return to normal after childbirth, it is also advisable to check their blood sugar every three years. For patients with abnormal fasting blood glucose or reduced glucose tolerance after childbirth, an annual check should be conducted to screen for diabetes, and they should receive strict dietary treatment and individualized exercise therapy. Therefore, the recovery time for postpartum gestational diabetes depends on the circumstances.

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Written by Luo Han Ying
Endocrinology
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Does gestational diabetes require early delivery?

Patients with gestational diabetes primarily have higher blood sugar levels compared to normal pregnant women. For such individuals, strict blood sugar control is generally required. Poor control of blood sugar can significantly impact the baby and pose dangers during childbirth. However, for those patients with well-controlled gestational diabetes, it is possible to carry the pregnancy to full term without the need for early delivery. Early delivery, leading to a premature birth, can have a greater detrimental effect on the infant than the effects caused by high blood sugar. Therefore, patients with gestational diabetes do not need to deliver early. They can manage their condition through strict dietary control, including fetal monitoring and close monitoring of the baby’s vital signs, considering delivery only after reaching full term.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
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Can pregnant women with gestational diabetes eat pumpkin?

The general principle for dietary control in patients with gestational diabetes is to manage total calorie intake and to eat smaller, more frequent meals. Eating five to six meals a day can not only help control blood sugar levels but also reduce the occurrence of hypoglycemia. Additionally, it is important for patients with gestational diabetes to eat less of foods that can rapidly increase blood sugar levels, as well as those high in sugar, starch, and fat content since these can easily convert into glucose, causing a rise in blood sugar. Pumpkin, for example, is a food high in carbohydrates and should be consumed in limited quantities. However, this does not mean it cannot be eaten at all. For patients with gestational diabetes, if pumpkin is consumed, it is necessary to reduce the intake of staple foods and rice, treating the pumpkin as a staple food substitute to maintain a balance of total calories and to prevent significant fluctuations in blood sugar, thus keeping it stable.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
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Standards for Blood Sugar Control in Gestational Diabetes

The control of blood sugar in gestational diabetes mainly involves monitoring fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, and ketone bodies in urine. Patients can monitor their fasting and postprandial blood glucose 4-6 times daily. The target for blood sugar control is to maintain fasting blood glucose, pre-meal, or pre-sleep blood glucose levels between 3.3 to 5.3 mmol/L, postprandial blood glucose after one hour should be less than or equal to 7.8 mmol/L, and postprandial blood glucose after two hours should be less than or equal to 6.7 mmol/L. Ketone bodies should be negative, and glycated hemoglobin should be controlled below 6%. Only by meeting these standards can the control of blood sugar in gestational diabetes be considered adequate, which can reduce risk factors for both the mother and the fetus.

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Written by Li Lang Bo
Endocrinology
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How to self-test for gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes refers to conditions where there was no diabetes before pregnancy, and during the course of the pregnancy, specifically between the 24th to 28th weeks, a standard glucose tolerance test is conducted to screen for glucose metabolism. The specific procedure involves not eating after 8 p.m. the night before, though drinking water is allowed, followed by fasting for more than ten hours. The first blood sample is taken on an empty stomach. Then, 75 grams of anhydrous glucose, as prescribed by the doctor, is dissolved in 250 to 350 milliliters of water and consumed within 3 to 5 minutes. Starting from the first sip of this glucose solution, blood samples are taken again one hour and two hours later. The results from these three blood samples are used to determine the possibility of gestational diabetes.

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Written by Luo Han Ying
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When can gestational diabetes be cured?

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that is somewhat unique. People in this category usually have normal blood glucose levels before pregnancy. However, between the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy, an oral glucose tolerance test is conducted, and if high blood glucose levels are detected, a diagnosis of gestational diabetes is made. For such patients, it is generally recommended to conduct another oral glucose tolerance test 6-8 weeks postpartum. If the results are normal at this time, it indicates that the patient does not have diabetes. However, a very small proportion of individuals may still exhibit high blood glucose levels after the 6-8 week postpartum re-examination. In such cases, continued treatment for diabetes might be necessary.