Pre-existing diabetes is when someone has diabetes before they are pregnant. Diabetes should be well managed before pregnancy.
Pre-existing diabetes includes:
- Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
It is important to make an appointment with your doctor or GP. Your doctor or GP will talk to you about:
- professional health options available to you.
- a referral to the Diabetes Contraception and Pre-pregnancy Program. DCAPP offers advice from different health professionals.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes:
- is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy.
- affects how your cells use glucose (sugar).
- causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby’s health.
Gestational diabetes is diagnosed by a blood test. The blood test is called an oral glucose tolerance test. The test requires that you:
- do not eat overnight or on the morning of the test.
- drink a high glucose drink (the pathology service will give this to you).
- have 3 samples of blood taken:
- a sample before the glucose drink
- a sample 1 hour after the glucose drink
- a sample 2 hours after the glucose drink
If any of the 3 blood sample results is high, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
Managing Gestational Diabetes
Management includes:
- regular monitoring of your blood-glucose levels;
- eating healthily; and
- being physically active every day.
If gestational diabetes is not managed properly:
- it may result in problems for your baby, including miscarriage or still birth;
- it may cause problems with birth; and your baby may need extra care after birth;
- you and your baby are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes in the future.
For more information:
Diabetes Australia Multicultural Resources: https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/resources/multicultural-pregnancy/
Diabetes Australia Gestational Diabetes: https://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/about-diabetes/gestational-diabetes/
Diabetes Contraception and Pre-pregnancy Program: https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/domtru/projects/dcapp