Gestational Diabetes

March 9, 2022

pregnant woman checking her glucose level at home

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that starts or is first diagnosed during pregnancy. Doctors usually test for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you are a high risk you may be tested earlier and if you are a low risk you may not need to be tested. Often gestational diabetes can be managed with a healthy diet and regular exercise. If these strategies don’t control your blood sugar you may need to take insulin. Blood sugar that is not well controlled can lead to problems for the pregnant woman and baby that may include:

An extra-large baby
C-section (Cesarean Section)
High blood pressure (Preeclampsia)
Low blood sugar (Hypoglycemia)

Learn more about gestational diabetes.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Screening can help find colorectal cancer early when treatment is most effective. Screening can sometimes prevent cancer from developing because some types of screening tests let a health care provider find and remove abnormal growths, known as colorectal polyps. Most of these polyps are benign (not cancerous) but do have a risk of becoming cancerous if not removed. If you are over the age of 45, talk with your health care provider about when you should start.

There are two main types of screening tests, visual exams and stool tests. There are different options for both types of tests.

Visual exams are procedures that allow a provider to look inside the colon and rectum using a thin tube with a camera attached or with a special imaging device. Types of visual exams include:

Colonoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy
Virtual Colonoscopy

Stool tests look at stool samples for signs of cancer. For these tests, you take a stool sample at home and send it to a lab. The types of stool tests are:

Fecal occult blood tests
Stool DNA test

Learn more about colorectal cancer screening.

What Are Collagen Peptides?

Collagen peptides are very small pieces of protein from animal collagen. Collagen is one of the materials that make up cartilage, bone, and skin. When taken by mouth, collagen peptides seem to build up in the skin and cartilage. They are mostly used for aging skin, osteoarthritis, and other purposes. Read about the safety and effectiveness of collagen peptides.