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Gestational
Diabetes - Understanding and Dealing
By Shannon Andrews (05-16-2002)
Shannon's Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis:
Like every expectant
mother, I vowed the best medical professionals available would handle
my pregnancy. At least that was my mission as a first time mom.
It began as a very happy and special time for me with absolutely
no morning sickness or other normal discomforts. That was unfortunately
not the story to the end. In the months and weeks to come I would
go from a low-risk pregnancy to a high-risk pregnancy in a span
of three hours. I had never even heard of Gestational Diabetes,
but I would soon learn it was a condition during pregnancy that
left untreated could harm the mother, child or both.
To me, the world of medicine
had become informal, cold and fast-paced. I wanted to find someone
who would be with us throughout my pregnancy, answer all of our
questions and have a wonderful bedside manner. After discussing
the issue with a friend she encouraged me to go and see her midwife
who worked in the area with a medical group. We went to see her
for our first appointment and found everything we were looking for
in Linda.
In fact, she was more
than that. She was also funny and compassionate, down-to-earth and
friendly to both my husband and I as people, not just clients. We
were on our way to becoming a family. At about twenty-two weeks
we went for the official ultrasound knowing in our hearts that we
were going to have a son. When we saw for sure on the monitor we
were overjoyed. We had already chosen his name, Logan Michael, a
name of Scottish/Irish descent. We wanted our son to have a strong
name that tied into his heritage.
It was around the 28th
week when I was scheduled for my one hour GTT (Glucose Tolerance
Test). The one-hour glucola test is a standard procedure for all
expectant mothers between the 25th and 28th week of pregnancy. The
test is used to measure blood sugar level elevations. It requires
you to consume a 50gm-flavored solution of glucose. One hour later
your blood is tested to see if your body has used the sugars efficiently.
If the blood levels exceed
a normal range you are required, at a later date, to take a more
extensive three-hour glucola test. This test requires the consumption
of a 100gm solution and is measured over a period of three hours
where your blood is drawn four times. Preparation for this test
requires a fasting period as well as no sugars, candy, caffeine,
gum etc… There are four values that are tested here. Technically,
if you are too high in two of them or if one exceeds 200, you may
be considered to be a gestational diabetic. Having gestational diabetes
is considered a high-risk condition during pregnancy and is then
treated as such.
I had no worries about
it as my pregnancy had been categorized as low risk since the beginning.
I took the test and waited for the results right there with my husband,
nurse and midwife. Outside there was a storm moving through. It
was bad and we heard we were under a tornado warning. My nerves
were a little shaky. Suddenly I heard Tracy (my nurse) say, "You
missed passing by three." A panic arose within me. "What
does that mean?" I said. Tracy and Linda both comforted me.
I was starting to cry and panic all at once.
I was informed that I
would have to take another test but that this one would last three
hours instead of one. Since I had just barely missed the passing
level, I was told it could very well have been something I had eaten.
Failing the three-hour test would confirm gestational diabetes.
Treatment would require a daily diet regimen and in certain cases
insulin injections are required. I'd never needed medication before,
other than birth control, daily vitamins and antibiotics to fight
off infections. I knew that I couldn't personally handle insulin
injections.
I prayed, took the test
and felt very good about it. I was told the results had to show
a passing score in two of the four ranges. My test results came
back with normal readings in only one out of the four ranges. The
second range I only missed by one point. I now was considered a
gestational diabetic.
About Gestational Diabetes:
Gestational diabetes
affects women during pregnancy in roughly 3% of the population.
It is a condition in
which blood sugar levels are elevated due to the body's failure
to properly use sugars that the mother consumes. It directly involves
the fetus as the placenta carries glucose and other essential things
to the baby.
It is crucial to keep
your blood sugar levels within normal boundaries. During your pregnancy
stability of blood glucose levels is essential. If the condition
isn't treated properly your baby can face problems at birth with
jaundice, sugar level problems of their own or being born at a much
higher birth weight. This condition, in a worst-case scenario, can
lead to a stillbirth.
A diet developed by a
licensed dietician may be enough to regulate the condition. If the
diet isn't enough to regulate the mother's level of glucose, insulin
becomes necessary as well. If you follow the recommendations of
your doctor, your pregnancy will feel relatively normal again and
you will be blessed at the end of all this hard work.
Shannon's Experience:
The next phase began
with me going to a division of the hospital called perinatology.
I perceived a lack of patience and rudeness in nearly everyone there,
exception my dietician. Unfortunately, the doctor here was not an
exception to the poor bedside manner rule and he was now in charge
of my treatment and child. He first informed me that if my diabetes
could not be controlled by diet he would remove me completely from
the care of my midwife. That angered me to the core of my soul.
He hadn't even introduced himself yet and was already threatening
me.
He went on to say that
I seemed a little too calm and at ease about the disease I had been
diagnosed with and assumed that I had little concerns about the
situation because I wasn't as he said, "Crying my eyes out"
like so many others who walked through his doors. I had done some
reading on the illness. I knew I had two options. I had to control
it with diet or get the insulin injections. I was prepared fully
to do whatever I had to do for the health and welfare of my unborn
son.
I had never heard of
gestational diabetes before all of this. When I was diagnosed, I
looked for as much material and information to educate myself on
the disease as I could find. My doctors provided me the most information.
I also found some helpful material on the Internet. The American
Diabetes Association's website (www.diabetes.org)
was very helpful with dieting tips, and insight into what diabetes
is. Another helpful website was (www.familydoctor.org)
it has a handout section that you are able to print out. It answered
a lot of questions that I had. The most helpful information should
come from your doctor.
Pregnancy was supposed
to be a low-stress time. I walked away from the perinatology office
that day feeling terrible and crying uncontrollably (only after
I left his office). I also walked away with a diet that the dietician
and I had sat and worked out together along with a prescription
for a glucose monitor so that I could test my blood sugar levels
at least four times daily. The scores had to be recorded on a daily
basis and presented to the doctor every week.
My first week scores
were okay but had to improve even more by the second week. The following
week my husband and I asked if we could see a different physician
due to our discomfort with the current one. Our request was granted
and this doctor was a decent man who said I had made wonderful progress.
He then informed us there was no need to be seen by their office
anymore. I was released fully back to my midwife. The diet, although
altered extensively, had worked. It was two and a half months of
a low carbohydrate, no sugar diet. I lost thirty pounds between
the diet and delivery.
Amazingly enough through
thick and thin all of us made it through just fine. With great help
from Linda, my husband and I had our son Logan on July 25, 1999.
I was able to deliver him naturally in nearly thirteen hours. He
weighed in at a beautiful 7lbs. 2.2 ounces. He is and forever will
be our pride and joy. Whenever I am asked about obstetricians or
choices for medical care during pregnancy I quickly praise Linda
and give her a referral. Midwives are wonderful at what they do
and we could never thank Linda enough for her love and support.
We thank God we had her with us.
As many expecting mothers
and fathers can attest, pregnancy is a roller coaster of emotions
in the best-case scenario. Although preparing for common complications
like gestational diabetes can be a little scary, every parent owes
it to themselves and their unborn child to get the answers before
the questions arise.
About the Writer: Shannon Andrews, (30) is a freelance writer
from the Great Lakes Region, a stay-home mom and works with Legal
Transcription and Data Entry. She is the mother of Logan Michael
who will be three in July and currently 7 1/2 months pregnant with
her second child also due in July, who appears to be a little girl.
She and her husband Brian of nearly 6 years will name her Journey
Rose. Gestationally Diabetic with her son Shannon was recently diagnosed
with Gestational Diabetes with her second pregnancy. She enjoys
family, writing, nature, photography and is a Christian woman.
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Diabetes
and pregnancy, fertility issues, gestational diabetes, parenting, 
