Gestational Diabetes

A small percentage of women who have never had diabetes develop high blood sugar during pregnancy. When blood sugar (glucose) levels are high enough, this is diagnosed as gestational diabetes. During pregnancy, hormones created in the placenta to help the baby receive nutrients cause the woman’s pancreas to work harder to produce insulin, which regulates blood sugar. In a normal pregnancy, a woman’s pancreas may produce as much as three times the usual amount of insulin. If the pancreas does not make enough insulin, glucose can build up to high levels in the blood. Glucose testing in the first or second trimester of pregnancy can detect gestational diabetes. It typically can be treated with diet, exercise, or medication. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after delivery but can increase a woman’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Why choose UAB Medicine

UAB Obstetrics and Gynecology offers complete women’s health care, delivered by physicians and nurses dedicated to excellence. Our physicians are nationally recognized specialists in their fields, so you can rest assured that you are receiving the most advanced care available. Our program is consistently ranked among the best of its kind in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

As part of the UAB Division of Women’s Reproductive Healthcare, UAB Obstetrics and Gynecology’s services range from complete obstetric care to the medical and surgical treatment of complex gynecological concerns. Because UAB Medicine is a major center for research, patients may have access to promising new techniques and treatments not available at other medical centers. Our physicians are here for you at every stage of life, from your first gynecological exam to delivering your baby and helping guide you through menopause.

The Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialists at the UAB Women & Infants Center are available on site 24/7 to manage problems with high-risk pregnancies. Our physicians are experts at managing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, multiple births, and premature delivery.

UAB Medicine’s MFM program is among the most advanced in the nation, and we are one of only 14 medical centers that participates in the national Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network for high-risk pregnancy research. Because UAB is a major center for research, patients may have access to new treatments that are not available elsewhere. For mothers who’ve had a preterm birth before, these treatments can reduce their chance of having another preterm birth by one-third to one-half.

UAB provides the most advanced MFM care, including first-trimester diagnosis, genetic testing and counseling, and 4D-ultrasound and fetal imaging. All of our MFM specialists are board-certified, and our team also includes certified genetics specialists.

Care Providers

Basma Abdulhadi, MD Endocrinology Ashley Battarbee, MD Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology Brian Brocato, DO Maternal and Fetal Medicine Alice Goepfert, MD Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology Alan Tita, MD, PhD Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology Carolyn Webster, MD Maternal and Fetal Medicine Luisa Wetta, MD Maternal and Fetal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Videos

Resources

• UAB Obstetrics & Gynecology Services
• UAB Women & Infants Center
• Types of Diabetes

Related Specialties

• Maternal and Fetal Medicine