You may or may not notice any symptoms attributed to gestational diabetes.  You may notice that you are more thirsty, hungry or tired or you need to make more bathroom trips to urinate.  But many of these  symptoms is normal during any pregnancy.  Most of the time, gestational diabetes can show no symptoms – this is the biggest reason all women are given a glucose screening between weeks 24 and 28.

Although, if you’re at high risk for diabetes or are showing signs of it (sugar showing up in urine), your doctor may recommend the glucose screening test at your first prenatal visit and then repeat the test between weeks 24 and 28 if the first test was negative.  If the test result is positive, it doesn’t mean you have gestational diabetes but that you’ll need to repeat the testing for a longer period (3 hour glucose tolerance test).

For many women, signs and symptoms of gestational diabetes are hidden due to overlapping symptoms of being pregnant but are the following:

• Sugar present in urine
• High and unusual thirst
• Frequent urination
• Nausea
• Fatigue
• Frequent urinary infections, the skin and vagina
• Blurry vision

When you should see a doctor

You should see a doctor about your symptoms to evaluate your risk of developing gestational diabetes.  As part of your regular prenatal care, your doctor will request a glucose tolerance test .

Causes and Risk Factors:

Causes of Gestational Diabetes
Risk Factors
Gestational Diabetes Complications

Lab Tests for Gestational Diabetes:

Glucose Tolerance Test
Preparing for Blood Sugar Test

More Information About Gestational Diabetes
Gum Disease Increases Risk of Gestational Diabetes – Gestational Diabetes and Blood Sugar Levels
Carb Counting and Gestational Diabetes – Gestational Diabetes After the Baby

Back to Gestational Diabetes Diet