Prevention of Gestational Diabetes

Written by Lin Xiang Dong

Endocrinology

Updated on September 28, 2024

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The prevention of gestational diabetes mainly focuses on diet and exercise. First, weigh yourself every morning to monitor weight changes during pregnancy, as excessive weight gain can increase the risk of gestational diabetes. Second, maintain a healthy and balanced diet that is low in fat and calories, and high in fiber and protein, avoiding excessive consumption of high-sugar foods. Third, regularly engage in exercises suitable for pregnancy. Fourth, keep a regular routine. Finally, closely monitor the fetus.

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Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

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Will the fetus have diabetes if the mother has gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a common complication during pregnancy, characterized by elevated levels during glucose tolerance tests conducted while a woman is pregnant. Gestational diabetes can significantly affect both the mother and fetus, but actively controlling blood sugar can generally minimize these impacts. If a baby is born to a mother with gestational diabetes, this baby has a higher likelihood of developing diabetes later in life compared to the general population, but it does not necessarily mean that they will. This is because such babies have a genetic predisposition and might experience insufficient pancreatic function as adults, which can lead to diabetes. Therefore, it is important for these newborns to undergo regular blood sugar monitoring as adults to determine if they have diabetes, and if so, to seek proactive treatment.

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Written by Chen Xie

Endocrinology

1min 6sec

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Gestational diabetes check at how many weeks?

Screening for gestational diabetes is generally recommended between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy, using a 75g glucose tolerance test to measure fasting blood glucose, blood glucose one hour after consuming glucose, and blood glucose two hours after consuming glucose. However, for pregnant women with high-risk factors, it is recommended to screen for blood glucose at their first prenatal visit. High-risk factors include women with a history of gestational diabetes, a history of delivering a large baby, obesity or polycystic ovary syndrome, those with a first-degree relative with a history of diabetes, positive fasting blood glucose or urinary glucose in early pregnancy, those who have had multiple unexplained miscarriages, fetal malformation, stillbirth history, and women who have given birth to newborns with respiratory distress syndrome. These women should all be screened for blood glucose at their first prenatal visit.

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Written by Zhao Dan

Orthopedics

2min 5sec

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Gestational diabetes standards

Before addressing this question, let's first clarify another concept: if diabetes is diagnosed before pregnancy, this is referred to as pre-existing diabetes in pregnancy, which is different from gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes refers to cases where there is no pre-existing diabetes diagnosis before pregnancy, but abnormal blood glucose levels are detected after becoming pregnant. Generally, a glucose screening test is conducted between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy. Currently in China, there are two approaches: the one-step and the two-step methods. The one-step method involves a direct 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test. However, most of China uses the two-step method, which starts with a 50-gram glucose challenge test. If the blood glucose level one hour after eating is greater than or equal to 7.8 mmol/L, a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test is recommended. For the 75-gram glucose test, the fasting blood glucose level should generally be less than or equal to 5.6 mmol/L, one hour post-glucose intake should be 10.3 mmol/L, two hours post-glucose should be 8.6 mmol/L, and three hours post-glucose should be 6.7 mmol/L. If two or more of these values exceed the diagnostic criteria, gestational diabetes can be diagnosed. If only one value is abnormal, impaired glucose tolerance can be diagnosed. It is recommended that anyone who experiences abnormal blood glucose levels during pregnancy undergo another 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test six months post-pregnancy to determine if blood glucose levels are still abnormal and whether treatment should continue.

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Written by Zhao Xin Lan

Endocrinology

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How to treat diabetic foot?

Diabetic foot is one of the most severe complications of diabetes. It is caused by a combination of factors including peripheral vascular disease and diabetic peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes. In such cases, treatment can involve internal medicine, interventional vascular treatment, and surgical treatment cooperatively managed by multiple vascular departments. Early treatment focuses on controlling blood sugar, improving circulation, and nourishing nerves. If ulcerations and skin breakdown have already occurred in the foot, further debridement and anti-infection treatments are necessary. It is essential to conduct an ultrasound of the lower limb vessels to assess for any vascular narrowing. If severe vascular occlusion occurs, vascular surgery may be needed to restore blood flow. In cases of severe diabetic foot with infection, surgical debridement or even amputation may be necessary. Thus, it is crucial to control blood sugar well in the early stages of diabetes to prevent these complications and potentially avoid the onset of diabetic foot.

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Written by Zhang Lu

Obstetrics

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How to Control Gestational Diabetes

During pregnancy, if the pregnant woman has diabetes, it is essential to control blood sugar reasonably. Otherwise, high blood sugar can seriously affect both the fetus and the pregnant woman, and in severe cases, it can cause diabetic ketoacidosis in the pregnant woman and fetal death in utero. Diabetes in pregnant women can be intervened in the following ways: First, through dietary control, eat less sugary foods, such as sweets, pastries, and fruits. Second, it is necessary to be moderately active during pregnancy, taking a walk or maintaining 5,000 to 10,000 steps daily, which helps in the consumption of glucose in the body. Third, if the above two methods are ineffective, insulin should be used to control diabetes.