Postpartum Follow-Up
15% of women with GDM will remain glucose
intolerant after delivery
10-15% will develop type 2 diabetes within 2
- 5 years
◦2
hour OGTT six-eight weeks postpartum
◦FBG
every year thereafter
Breastfeeding is associated with a decreased
risk of the infant developing obesity and
diabetes later in life.
Breastfeeding increases the woman’s caloric
requirements thereby
promoting insulin
sensitivity and weight loss.
Fasting blood glucose or a random finger stick
should be completed before hospital
discharge to
rule out diabetes. If the mother is diagnosed
with type 2 diabetes, medical
nutrition therapy
and pharmacological therapy should be continued
to maintain good glycemic
control. All insulins,
glyburide, and glypizide may be safely used
while breastfeeding.
Metformin, if used, will be
excreted in the breast milk.
Here are some recommendations:
1.The
American Diabetes Association recommends
oral glucose tolerance testing should be
performed periodically to diagnose an
impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes
mellitus. Fasting blood glucose is not
sensitive to these.
2.Because
many women who develop gestational diabetes
are at high risk for developing metabolic
syndrome & cardiovascular disease, risk
factors should be evaluated at the times
glucose metabolism is being evaluated.
3. It is important to evaluate women who do not
have clinical characteristics associated with
type 2 diabetes. The measurement of serum
anti-GAD antibodies is useful to identify
patients with possible type 1 diabetes.
Prevention of Type-2
Diabetes
Diabetes Prevention Programs are especially
useful in helping women to change their
lifestyles in order to avoid type 2 diabetes
later in life. Women should be coached to lose
weight if necessary, exercise in amounts safe
for them, eat healthier, and to employ a
medication treatment regimen conducive to
regaining control.
Achieve a healthy body weight
If overweight, lose 5-7% of body weight
Exercise a minimum of 150 minutes per week
Include both aerobic & resistance exercise
Eat a healthier diet
Increase intake of fruits, vegetables,
high-fiber carbohydrate, low-fat meats &
dairy products, & heart healthy fats
Treatment with metformin or pioglitazone
We hope you have gained some useful knowledge
about gestational diabetes from this
presentation, as well as some tips and tricks
that may prove useful when working with patients
of this type.
If you would like continuing
education credit for taking this course, please
click on the link
below to fill out the course
evaluation and take the post-test.
Take the
post-test