Question
What Are the Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes?
Answer
Gestational diabetes refers to diabetes that occurs or is first discovered during pregnancy, with about 80% to 90% of pregnant women having no history of diabetes before pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is caused by hormones secreted during pregnancy, which have a resistance effect on insulin in external tissues, especially reaching a peak between weeks 24 to 28 of pregnancy. Therefore, doctors usually conduct diabetes screening for pregnant women at this stage. Statistics show that the incidence of gestational diabetes has increased from 2% in 1996 to 4.6% in 2003, possibly related to factors such as excessive nutritional supplementation and dietary irregularities in pregnant women. Gestational diabetes is harmful to both the mother and the baby, including an increased risk of preeclampsia syndrome, polyhydramnios, neonatal hypoglycemia, increased incidence of macrosomia, and an increased risk of difficult labor. The main treatment method is dietary therapy, with only 10% to 20% of patients requiring insulin therapy, and oral hypoglycemic agents are prohibited during pregnancy. Data shows that women with gestational diabetes have a 50% to 60% chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 5 to 10 years, so precautions should also be taken after gestational diabetes is cured.