Gestational Diabetes Diagnosed and Treated by Diabetes Doctors in Baltimore
The Center for Endocrinology at Mercy in Baltimore specializes in treating all types of diabetes, including gestational diabetes, Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Our endocrinologists, along with an expert team of diabetes nurse educators and nutritionists, work closely with Mercy's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology to provide resources and diabetes education for expectant mothers who develop gestational diabetes.
Risk factors for developing gestational diabetes include:
- Obesity
- Family history
- Ethnicity (African American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and Native American)
- Having had a previous child who weighed more than 9 pounds at birth
- Increased age at time of pregnancy
Typically, expectant mothers do not experience any signs of gestational diabetes but if symptoms of gestational diabetes do occur, they can include:
- Fatigue
- Frequent infections
- Increased thirst
- Increased urination
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weight loss
- Blurred vision
Testing for gestational diabetes is a part of regular prenatal care. An oral glucose tolerance test is conducted between weeks 24 and 28 to detect if there is a possibility of gestational diabetes. For high-risk mothers, this gestational diabetes test is performed earlier in the pregnancy.