Home Blood Sugar Monitoring When You Have Gestational Diabetes

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Introduction

If you have gestational diabetes, you need to know when your blood sugar level is outside the safe range. Fortunately, you can see what your blood sugar level is anywhere and anytime by using a home blood sugar meter. Within a minute or two, you can know what your blood sugar level is.

Key points

• Knowing your blood sugar level helps you treat low or high blood sugar before it becomes an emergency.
• Knowing your blood sugar level also helps you know how exercise and food affect your blood sugar and how much insulin to take (if you take insulin).
• Checking your blood sugar helps you feel more in control of your diabetes during your pregnancy.
• Four keys to success in monitoring your blood sugar are:
  • Keeping your meter and supplies with you at all times.
  • Making it a habit to check your blood sugar level by building it into your routine.
  • Pricking the sides of your fingers, not the tips. The tip of a finger is more sensitive than its sides.
  • Checking your blood sugar meter's accuracy when you visit your doctor by comparing your results with your doctor's results.

 What is home blood sugar monitoring?

 Why monitor your blood sugar?

 How to test your blood sugar

 Where to go from here

More information about the different types of 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

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Last updated:	January 12, 2006
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine, Lois Jovanovic, MD - Endocrinology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman