Gestational diabetes is often asymptomatic and can only be detected through a blood glucose test. However, increased thirst, excessive urination, fatigue, nausea, blurry vision, and weight loss can be symptoms. It is important to report any indicators to a doctor for testing to avoid health risks to both mother and fetus.
Gestational diabetes is a form of the disease that occurs only during pregnancy. It mirrors other forms of diabetes, except that the symptoms are much harder to detect. Gestational diabetes is often asymptomatic and is only discovered with a blood glucose test, which is usually done in the sixth or seventh month of pregnancy. However, some pregnant women may notice symptoms. The most common symptoms of gestational diabetes include increased thirst, increased need to urinate, higher levels of fatigue and nausea.
The most common gestational diabetes symptoms to look for are increased thirst and excessive urination. Women who notice a marked increase in thirst levels should notice this change and monitor their fluid intake to see if the trend persists for several days. Likewise, it is advisable to observe the frequency of urination, especially if the need to urinate more often is not accompanied by increased fluid intake. It may be helpful to bring this information to prenatal medical appointments so your doctor has the data readily available.
Pregnant women who suspect they have gestational diabetes should also monitor their levels of fatigue. While fatigue is very common during pregnancy in general, people with gestational diabetes can experience excessive exhaustion that interferes with daily activities. The fatigue associated with gestational diabetes may be most evident in the second trimester, when fatigue generally decreases for most pregnant women compared to the first and third trimesters.
Nausea and vomiting are also common symptoms of gestational diabetes. Similar to fatigue, these conditions often lessen as the pregnancy progresses. Women who do not experience relief from nausea and vomiting in the second trimester should notify their doctor. In combination with other symptoms, frequent and persistent nausea and vomiting should be considered possible signs of gestational diabetes.
Blurry vision is a more extreme sign of gestational diabetes. Unlike the other symptoms, blurred vision is not strongly associated with pregnancy side effects and should be reported to a doctor. Women with gestational diabetes may have impaired vision when their blood sugar levels drop or rise. If vision returns to normal after eating, this specifically signals that gestational diabetes may be to blame.
Weight loss during pregnancy is another clear symptom that gestational diabetes may be present. Most women gain weight steadily during pregnancy. If weight loss occurs after the first trimester, this could signal that the body is not processing glucose efficiently and that gestational diabetes is to blame.
It is imperative that pregnant women pay attention to any physical conditions that may indicate symptoms of gestational diabetes. Women can ignore symptoms as common side effects of pregnancy, but should report any indicators of the disease to a doctor so a blood test can be performed. If left untreated, gestational diabetes poses health risks to both the mother and the fetus.
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