Dealing with low blood sugar when you have gestational diabetes

Introduction

Women who take insulin shots or take the medicine glyburide are at risk for low blood sugar levels. Most women with gestational diabetes do not have problems with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). If your blood sugar (glucose) drops very low, it is very important to be treated immediately so that neither you nor your baby is harmed.

Key points

• Low blood sugar occurs when the sugar level in the blood drops below what the body needs to function normally. Women who take insulin may get low blood sugar if they don't eat enough food, skip meals, exercise more than usual, or take too much insulin.
• These steps can help you avoid a life-threatening emergency from low blood sugar:
  • Test your blood sugar often so that you don't have to guess when your blood sugar is low.
  • Know the signs of low blood sugar (sweating, shakiness, hunger, blurred vision, and dizziness).
  • The best treatment for low blood sugar is to drink 240 mL (8 fl oz) of milk. Check your blood sugar level again in 15 minutes. And if it is still low, add a sugar treat.
  • Keep some hard candy, raisins, or other sugary foods with you at all times. Eat some at the first sign of low blood sugar.
  • Check your blood sugar before getting in a car, and don't drive if your blood sugar level is less than 4.0 mmol/L.
  • Teach your friends and co-workers what to do if your blood sugar is very low.

 What is a low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) emergency?
 Why is it important to quickly deal with low blood sugar emergencies?
 How to deal with low blood sugar emergencies
 Where to go from here

More information about diabetes can be found in these topics:

• Type 1 Diabetes
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Type 2 Diabetes: Recently Diagnosed
• Type 2 Diabetes: Living With the Disease
• Type 2 Diabetes: Living With Complications
• Gestational Diabetes

Return to topic:

• Diabetes-Related High and Low Blood Sugar Levels
• Gestational Diabetes

Author:	Alison Allen Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS	Last Updated: February 12, 2008
Medical Review:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Lois Jovanovic, MD - Endocrinology Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine
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