April 2, 2005
Gestational Diabetes
Question from Northport, New York, USA:
My daughter is 36 and after eight years of marriage, it seems that Glucophage, which was given to her for insulin resistance, helped her to ovulate and she is now pregnant. She is 19 weeks and her blood sugar was taken and is 170 mg/dl [9.4 mmol/L]. I am reading about gestational diabetes and, since she is insulin resistant, she is very concerned about finding this out so early. She has other issues such as a misshapen uterus, which the doctor is also watching. And, a few weeks ago, she fell and broke her foot.
Every day, I worry even though she is an adult. Is there anything we should know that is critical that may negatively affect the birth? Also, because it’s so early on, is there a higher risk of a stillbirth? Any help or encouragement would be greatly appreciated.
Answer:
With a blood sugar of 170 mg/dl [9.4 mmol/L] at 19 weeks, she may have more than just insulin resistance. In fact, she may have type 2 diabetes. I would suggest that she have a formal three hour glucose test to make a diagnosis. She may need some insulin to control her glucose levels. With good glucose control, the risk for stillbirth should be minimized. An abnormally shaped uterus could place her at increased risk for pre-term labor. Sorry about the broken foot, but it should not be a problem for the baby.
OWJ
