November 29, 2002
Gestational Diabetes
Question from Cleveland, Ohio, USA:
I am 32 years old, 33 weeks pregnant, and I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during my fifteenth week of pregnancy. Up until week 30, I able to control my sugars with diet and exercise, but since then, I have been having trouble. I am still sticking to diet, exercising, and I have recently started taking Zoloft at night.Could the Zoloft affect my sugar readings? Is it harder it is to control the sugar the later I get in my pregnancy?
Answer:
According to the Physician’s Desk Reference, Zoloft has (on rare occasion) been associated with hypoglycemia. In general, it should not affect your glucose control.
As pregnancy progresses, the degree of insulin resistance increases. This sometimes makes blood sugar control more difficult. Even though you may start out on diet management alone, it may be necessary to add insulin towards the end of your pregnancy.
Since your doctor made the diagnosis of gestational diabetes early in pregnancy, I am suspicious that you may have preexisting diabetes. You should have a repeat glucose test after you deliver.
OWJ
