Even if you’ve never been diagnosed with diabetes, some women can develop diabetes during pregnancy. This is known as gestational diabetes and is often diagnosed by the 24th week of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes means that your blood sugar levels are too high. If left untreated this can lead to serious complications for both you and your baby, so you must discuss your gestational diabetes with your OBGYN so that you and your doctor can create an effective game plan.

 

The pancreas is responsible for producing insulin, which helps your body store sugar from food to use for energy; however, when you are pregnant the placenta also produces hormones that can impact insulin levels and lead to insulin resistance. If your body doesn’t produce enough insulin, this can result in gestational diabetes.

 

It is possible for a pregnant woman to have gestational diabetes and not even know it, which is why you should keep up with prenatal visits with your OBGYN so that they can perform the necessary testing to keep both you and your baby healthy throughout your pregnancy and delivery.

 

However, it is possible to develop symptoms (particularly if you have undiagnosed diabetes before getting pregnant). These symptoms include,

Since these symptoms can also just be indicative of a healthy, normal pregnancy (aka: being hungrier than usual) these symptoms don’t necessarily mean that you have gestational diabetes. You must speak with your OBGYN about certain risk factors and keep up with your checkups so that gestational diabetes can be detected right away.

 

Many women can improve their blood sugar levels through simple measures such as healthy eating, exercising regularly, managing stress, and monitoring their blood sugar levels. By controlling this issue now you can prevent gestational diabetes in the future, as well as the development of type 2 diabetes. Sometimes your doctor may also prescribe insulin medication to help control your blood sugar.

 

Your OBGYN’s goal is to provide you with proper care and treatment throughout your life, from general wellness checkups to post-natal and menopausal care. If you have concerns about gestational diabetes, or if you’ve been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, talk with your OBGYN about the best way to keep it under control.

Postpartum hemorrhage occurs when there is severe and prolonged bleeding of 500ml or more that occurs within 24 hours after giving birth. This often occurs after the placenta has been delivered and it may be more common in women who’ve had a cesarean rather than vaginal birth. Of course, there are steps your OBGYN can take during the third stage of labor to reduce a woman’s risk for postpartum hemorrhage (PPH).

Signs of PPH

It’s important to recognize the signs of PPH so you can call your OBGYN or 911 to get immediate medical attention. Some signs of PPH include,

PPH is a life-threatening condition, so you mustn’t ignore these signs after giving birth.

Risk Factors for PPH

While PPH can happen without warning, there are risk factors that can predispose women to develop PPH. If you’ve had PPH in the past, you are more likely to have it in the future. PPH is also more common among Hispanic and Asian women.

You may also be more likely to develop PPH if you have any of these health problems,

Other conditions and factors that can increase your risk include,

If you have questions or concerns about childbirth or delivery, know that your OBGYN is always here to answer any of your questions. Talk through the possibility of PPH with your obstetrician so you can discuss beforehand, the steps that are going to be taken to protect both you and your baby during labor and delivery.