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