Being told you have developed diabetes in pregnancy can be a scary thing, and often means a whole host of medical intervention pushed on to you to prevent "risks", but are they always necessary and how big ARE the risks? I chat to Shellie about the differences between type 1, 2 and gestational diabetes, the interventions that may be recommended, and whether the research backs up early induction of babies.

Shellie has been a birth advocate and doula for 20 years and as a full spectrum doula supports people throughout pregnancy, with antenatal education, birth and postnatal support. She qualified in Osteopathic and Naturopathic Medicine in 2005 and has been teaching ever since. She hosts Birthing Biomechanics courses around the country, as well as providing online learning material for parents and birth workers. You can find shellie @theserenitydoula on instagram or her website www.theserenitydoula.co.uk where she uses humour and referenced information to highlight birthrights and important information for pregnancy, birth and beyond. 

To access Shellie's gestational diabetes lecture to go: https://chipper-teacher-4208.kit.com/products/june-bitesize-gestational-diabetes?promo=SERENITY50 or https://chipper-teacher-4208.kit.com/products/june-bitesize-gestational-diabetes and use the discount code serenity50 for 50% off the usual price, taking it from £30 to £15. It includes a 2 hour lecture and a PDF with lots of helpful information about Gestational Diabetes including supplement, dietary and lifestyle advice and links to further resources. 

Studies referenced in this episode:

• AJOG - 2004 - Takoudes et al - Risk of cesarean wound complications in diabetic gestations
• AJOG - 2022 Reicher et al - Diabetes Mellitus in pregnancy - a risk factor for perineal injuries, independent of foetal macrosomia
• Midwifery Vol 69 2019 - Strandhold et al - Diabetes Mellitus and lower genital tract tears after vaginal birth: A cohort study
• BJOG - Stacey et al 2019 - Gestational Diabetes and the risk of late stillbirth: Case control study uk
• Ye at al - Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and adverse pregnancy outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis
• Kawakita et al, AM j Perinatol 2017 - neonatal respiratory morbidities
• Dr Rachel Reed  - Reference figures for the changing diagnostic range thresholds
• BMJ - Benefits and harms associated with an incerase in gestational diabetes diagnosis in Queensland Australia - a retrospective cohort comparison of diagnosis rates, outcomes, interventions and medication use for two periods 2011-2013 and 2016-1028 using a large perinatal database
• Cochrane Review into tighter BGL control
• BMC 2023 - Luo et al Comparison adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes between induction and expectant management among wimen with gestational diabetes mellitus at term pregnancy: systematic review and meta-analysis
• Nice guidance - not evidence based for recommendation for induction no later than 40+6

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