If You Get Gestational Diabetes Do You Have to Take Insulin or Can It Be Monitored With Pills and Diet?

Your practitioner will monitor you closely and you'll most likely be able to keep your blood sugar levels under control with diet and exercise, and by getting insulin shots if you need them.

If you're unable to keep your blood sugar under control or it's high enough that you need insulin, or if you have any other risk factors, you'll probably begin to have fetal heart monitoring (nonstress tests) or periodic ultrasounds around 32 weeks to check on your baby's well-being. (This kind of ultrasound is called a biophysical profile.) If you can keep your diabetes well under control without insulin and you have no other problems, you might not begin these tests until your last few weeks or until your due date.

Your practitioner may also order an ultrasound around 29 to 33 weeks to measure your baby and estimate his weight. At that point, if your baby is already getting too big, you might be started on insulin. She may order another one closer to labor if she suspects your baby is large, but ultrasound is not usually very accurate at determining a baby's size late in pregnancy. Depending on your circumstances, you might be induced before your due date, or your practitioner may recommend delivering by c-section.