All About Gestational Diabetes In Twin Pregnancies

 All About Gestational Diabetes

I’d been pregnant a few times before. I had heard the term ‘gestational diabetes’ but it never applied to me. I didn’t even think about it. I went into my 1 hour glucose test with the twins expecting nothing but perfect results. When I failed everyone was like ”Don’t worry. Many, many people fail the one hour and go on to pass the 3 hour test. It’s quite common.”

After doing a lot of searching on the Internet I found that to be true. My doctor even said to me, ”You definitely will pass the 3 hour so no worries. You don’t have any family history, you aren’t overweight…you just don’t fit the bill for GD at all.”

I’m here to say there really is no true ‘fitting the bill’. Anybody can potentially get gestational diabetes during pregnancy, more especially if you are carrying multiples. That was my only risk factor for GD, and the only one I apparently needed. I failed my 3 hour test. This was the only complication that I had during my twin pregnancy. Looking back it wasn’t so horrific but at the time I was devastated. I hope I can help some others so they won’t freak out as much as I did.

Some facts about gestational diabetes

 1. Carrying multiples increases the risk

I knew many other women pregnant with twins and the vast majority did not have GD, but it does heighten the risk.

2. GD affects roughly 4% of all pregnancies

That may seem like not many women to you, but when you think about how many pregnant women there are in the world at any give time you are NOT alone by far.

3. Most women who fail the one hour glucose test will go on to pass the second, fasting test and will not be diagnosed with GD

4. Properly cotrolled GD will not harm you nor your babies if you make sure to control your diet and take your insulin if it is prescribed to you

5. Not all women with gestational diabetes need insulin

Many to most are controlled by diet modification and exercise alone.

6. Fear of further complications

GD does not mean for certain that your babies will be born prematurely, overly large, and does not mean you WILL have any further complications during labor and delivery. I was not treated any differently in the hospital during the birth of my twins. If you don’t control your GD (gestational diabetes), complications can arise. So it is important to follow instructions, but please don’t bug out.

7. Uncontrolled GD can be dangerous

Never skip testing and always follow your doctor’s advice. Proper prenatal care during any pregnancy, especially a twin one is VERY important.

8. Being significantly overweight increases you risk of developing GD

9. Being over the age of 25 increases your risk

10. Being African American, American Indian, Hispanic, or Asian increases the risk of developing GD

11. Women are routinely tested for gestational diabetes between weeks 24-28 of their pregnancies

12. A family history increases your risk. Also, if you have had gestational diabetes in a prior pregnancy

13. If you have gestational diabetes you’ll probably be able to control your blood sugar levels with diet and exercise

14. Bigger babies

 Improperly controlled diabetes can lead to larger babies, thus increasing the rate of cesarean delivery. My twins were the perfect weight so don’t assume this will happen.. just follow instructions. If you don’t allow all of that extra glucose to get to your babies, they will be of normal size. Mine were a bit over 5 lbs. and 1 was close to 6 lbs. at 37 weeks. Totally normal.