How do you treat gestational diabetes in pregnancy?
The treatment for gestational diabetes depends on your blood glucose levels. In many cases, gestational diabetes can be treated with diet and exercise alone. In some cases, you may need to take oral medication such as metformin (Glucophage, Glumetza) or injectable insulin to lower your blood sugar.
What is first line treatment for gestational diabetes?
The ADA describes upper boundary targets of 90 to 99 mg per dL (5.00 to 5.50 mmol per L) in the fasting state, less than 140 mg per dL one hour after eating, and less than 120 to 127 mg per dL (6.65 to 7.05 mmol per L) two hours after eating. Insulin is the first-line pharmacologic therapy for gestational diabetes.
How is gestational diabetes treated or monitored?
You'll be given a testing kit that you can use to check your blood sugar (glucose) level. This involves using a finger-pricking device and putting a drop of blood on a testing strip. You'll be advised: how to test your blood sugar level correctly.
Which medication is preferred for treatment of gestational diabetes?
IN BRIEF The oral agents glyburide and metformin are both recommended by many professional societies for the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
When do you need insulin for gestational diabetes?
When do I give it? Meal time insulin: Inject it 5 to 10 minutes before your meal (or within 5 to 10 minutes after if you are suffering with sickness). Never have your meal time insulin then not eat. Bed time Insulin: Inject it just before going to bed.
Which agent is preferred for a pregnant mother with gestational diabetes?
So, if a trial of MNT fails to achieve glycemic control within a week or less, diabetic therapy need to be escalated. Insulin remains the drug of choice in majority of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
What happens if you have gestational diabetes when pregnant?
Gestational diabetes raises your risk of high blood pressure, as well as preeclampsia — a serious complication of pregnancy that causes high blood pressure and other symptoms that can threaten both your life and your baby's life. Having a surgical delivery (C-section).
How can gestational diabetes be prevented?
Before you get pregnant, you may be able to prevent gestational diabetes by losing weight if you're overweight and getting regular physical activity. Don't try to lose weight if you're already pregnant. You'll need to gain some weight—but not too quickly—for your baby to be healthy.
What does metformin do for gestational diabetes?
Metformin has been tested in clinical studies and is safe to take for gestational diabetes. Metformin helps keep both your weight gain and blood pressure down. The main side effect is stomach upsets such as feeling sick and diarrhoea. Taking metformin with food helps stop stomach problems.
Can gestational diabetes be managed?
The good news is that gestational diabetes can be treated, especially if it's found early in the pregnancy. There are some things that women with gestational diabetes can do to keep themselves well and their pregnancies healthy. Controlling gestational diabetes is the key to a healthy pregnancy.
Is insulin better than metformin for gestational diabetes?
Conclusion: Metformin treatment was associated with a better postprandial glycemic control than insulin for some meals, a lower risk of hypoglycemic episodes, less maternal weight gain, and a low rate of failure as an isolated treatment. Most obstetrical and perinatal outcomes were similar between groups.
What does metformin do for gestational diabetes?
Metformin has been tested in clinical studies and is safe to take for gestational diabetes. Metformin helps keep both your weight gain and blood pressure down. The main side effect is stomach upsets such as feeling sick and diarrhoea. Taking metformin with food helps stop stomach problems.
How do you start insulin during pregnancy?
We begin with a single injection of 10 to 20 units of intermediate-acting basal insulin (neutral protamine Hagedorn [NPH]) and 6 to 10 units of rapid-acting insulin (lispro or aspart) in the morning immediately before breakfast; the dose within this range is based on the degree of elevation above target levels.
Can metformin be used in pregnancy?
In recent years, metformin has gained acceptance as a safe, effective and rational option for reducing insulin resistance in pregnant women with type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes (GDM) or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It may also provide benefit in obese non-diabetic women during pregnancy.