What Should I Do If My Doctor Fails to Follow Proper Gestational Diabetes Guidelines During My Pregnancy?

Gestational diabetes is a fairly common diagnosis where a mother must take precautions during her pregnancy to keep herself and her baby healthy. Many mothers will adjust their daily lifestyles to help monitor their blood glucose levels to aid in a safe, healthy delivery. In addition to lifestyle adjustments, your doctor is advised to screen you for gestational diabetes and follow proper gestational diabetes guidelines to treat your condition during your pregnancy.

If your doctor fails to administer this standard of care and it results in a birth injury, it may give you and your family a probable cause for a medical malpractice lawsuit.

What is the routine screening for gestational diabetes? 

According to the Mayo Clinic, screening tests for gestational diabetes may vary depending on your healthcare provider. However, they generally include these two tests during your initial evaluation between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

1. The glucose challenge test. Your doctor will give you a syrupy glucose solution to drink, and after an hour, you’ll receive a blood test to measure your blood sugar levels. According to the CDC, a normal result is 140 mg/dL or lower. If your level is higher than the normal result, you will be advised to take a glucose tolerance test.
2. The glucose tolerance test. If you received a higher result, you will be asked to take a glucose tolerance test to measure your glucose levels and determine if you have gestational diabetes. Your doctor should advise you to fast before taking this test. If this test and the initial challenge test both come back with high blood sugar readings, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

After a diagnosis, what are the gestational diabetes guidelines for treatment?  

While receiving a diagnosis of gestational diabetes may seem overwhelming, a treatment plan that follows standard gestational diabetes guidelines should be given to you by your doctor.

The typical treatment for gestational diabetes includes: 

• Lifestyle changes. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is an important aspect of managing your blood sugar levels if you have gestational diabetes. Your doctor should advise you on planning a healthy diet and exercise plan during your pregnancy. These two changes will help keep blood sugar levels at a manageable level that is safe for both mother and baby under doctor supervision.

• Blood sugar monitoring. Depending on the severity of your blood sugar levels, your doctor should advise you on how many times you should check your glucose levels each day.

• Medication. If diet and exercise are not enough in terms of managing your glucose levels, your doctor should recommend treatment with insulin injections or oral blood sugar medications as needed.

• Regular check-ins with your doctor. As with any pregnancy, your doctor has a duty to monitor the progress of your baby’s growth and development with standard ultrasounds, tests and observations during regular visits. Additionally, they will help you develop a birth plan that fits within the gestational diabetes guidelines.

• A follow up with your doctor after delivery. If you have gestational diabetes, your doctor will check your blood sugar levels following delivery and another time after 6 to 12 weeks to check your blood sugar range. If your doctor does not do this, it may pose a risk to you following delivery if your blood sugar levels are not back to normal range.

Did My Doctor Fail to Practice the Proper Standard of Care for Gestational Diabetes Guidelines?

Untreated gestational diabetes is a serious condition that may cause serious harm to mother and baby, if left untreated. If you believe your doctor was negligent in failing to follow the proper gestational diabetes guidelines following your diagnosis, you must be able to provide details of when your doctor failed to treat, proof of your or your baby’s injuries and why your injuries were a direct result of your doctor’s negligence.

For example, if you told your doctor you were experiencing symptoms of gestational diabetes or were presenting high-risk factors, they should schedule the two-step test to check your glucose levels. If they failed to conduct the tests, misread the tests or did not advise you on a proper plan for gestational diabetes management after your diagnosis, you may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit for the injuries and damages you acquired.

Your Family’s Experienced Medical Malpractice Lawyers 

When a doctor does not follow up on a diagnosis or fails to diagnose a condition altogether, it is a devastating experience and a huge violation of trust. As medical malpractice attorneys, we understand your situation may be difficult to process, and we are here to help you in your recovery.

If you have suffered as a result of medical malpractice from a recent gestational diabetes diagnosis, contact our legal team today to begin building your case.