May is for Moms!
May 08, 2012
In observance of Mother’s Day (May 13) and National Women’s Health Week (May 13-19), the NDEP is reminding women with a history of gestational diabetes (GDM) about their lifelong risk for developing diabetes, usually type 2. Women with a history of GDM have a 35 to 60 percent chance of developing diabetes in the next 10 to 20 years, and should get tested for diabetes 6 to 12 weeks after their baby is born. If the test results show that blood sugar (or blood glucose) is higher than normal, but not high enough to be diabetes (also called prediabetes), they should get tested every year. Otherwise, they should plan to get tested every 3 years. It’s also important to remember that the children of women who had GDM may be at increased risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes in the future. Visit www.YourDiabetesInfo.org/GDM for more information about steps to take to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.
If you’re looking for tips from a woman with a history of GDM, watch NDEP’s new video “The Lasting Impact of Gestational Diabetes: Making Healthy Choices as a Family.” NDEP patient volunteer, Sandra Aguilar Scott, shares advice about preventing type 2 diabetes as a family.
Wondering how you can help spread the word?
- Click here for promotional resources to use in your community.
- “Like” the NDEP Facebook page and invite your Facebook friends to “Like” the page, too! You can also upload one of NDEP’s newly designed cover photos to your organization’s Facebook page.
- Follow NDEP on Twitter and use the hash tag gestational #diabetes.
