Pregnancy is a wonderful time for most expectant mothers. It is definitely a time to enjoy getting extra attention, but you will want to make sure that you are giving yourself and your unborn child some attention as well.
Taking some time to monitor your own health, along with proper Obstetrics Care in Gainesville, will help make the experience as positive as possible for both you and baby. One of the concerns you will need to be on the lookout for is gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and it means that your blood sugar is higher than it should be. Up to 10% of expectant mothers develop gestational diabetes, so it is fairly common, but that does not mean that it is something to be taken lightly, as it can put a lot of excess stress on you and your unborn child.
The majority of expectant mothers should be tested for gestational diabetes sometime between their 6th and 7th month of pregnancy (around 24 to 28 weeks). If you are at high risk for diabetes, however, you will want to speak to your Gainesville OBGYN to discuss your risk, and whether any tests should be done in your first trimester. The blood glucose test that is used to determine whether you have gestational diabetes is pretty simple and involves you drinking a sugary solution and then waiting a bit for it to get into your system. You will then have your blood drawn and it will be tested to see how high your blood sugar is. If your blood glucose test comes back that you do indeed have gestational diabetes, do not panic.
It is manageable and your Gainesville OBGYN will work with you to understand how to manage your condition while you are pregnant so that you have the best chance possible for keeping you and your baby healthy. Although gestational diabetes is a condition that you should not treat lightly, it may be comforting for you to know that most women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes go on to have completely healthy babies. Finding out that you have it and then working to keep your blood sugar levels under control are the keys to both of you being healthy, now and in the future.
