Misdiagnosis of Gestational diabetes
Misdiagnosis of Gestational diabetes
If a woman develops diabetes during pregnancy, it is usually diagnosed as gestational
diabetes.
This is the most common cause, but it can also happen
that the woman just happens to get diabetes during pregnancy,
as a coincidence, rather than pregnancy causing the diabetes.
It is also possible that the woman had undetected Type 2 diabetes prior to getting pregnant.
Since gestational diabetes should disappear after pregnancy,
any diabetes after birth should indicate that a new diagnosis is needed.
Fortunately, the treatment of gestational diabetes and Type 2 diabetes are
basically the same, so this is not a major problem,
and Type 2 diabetes will be properly diagnosed when the pregnancy ends,
and the diabetes stays.
Slightly more difficult is the rarer case where a woman has coincidentally
developed Type 1 diabetes during pregnancy,
which probably needs to be treated by insulin,
rather than diet-only or diabetes pills.
Thus, difficulty in successfully treating gestational diabetes
could indicate Type 1 diabetes, but could
also be that it is sometimes difficult to control diabetes sugar levels
during pregnancy.
Alternative diagnoses list for Gestational diabetes:
For a diagnosis of Gestational diabetes,
the following list of conditions
have been mentioned in sources
as possible alternative diagnoses
to consider during the diagnostic process for Gestational diabetes:
Diseases for which Gestational diabetes may be an alternative diagnosis
The other diseases for which Gestational diabetes
is listed as a possible alternative
diagnosis in their lists include:
Gestational diabetes Diagnosis: Book Excerpts
Gestational diabetes: Medical Mistakes
Related medical mistakes may include:
Gestational diabetes: Undiagnosed Conditions
Commonly undiagnosed conditions in related areas may include:
In-Depth Reports: Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis
Diabetes diagnosis and misdiagnosis (In-Depth Report): Detailed report on diabetes misdiagnoses, rare curable types, and
less common diagnostic issues....read full report »
Read more about Misdiagnosis and Gestational diabetes
Common Misdiagnoses and Gestational diabetes
Metabolic syndrome often undiagnosed: Metabolic syndrome, also known as Syndrome X, is
an often overlooked medical condition that causes a cluster of chronic symptoms.
There are often four symptoms and conditions combined: obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure),
high cholesterol, and diabetes (Type 2 diabetes) or in come cases pre-diabetes initially.
See the introduction to metabolic syndrome.
Heart attacks can be undiagnosed: Although the most severe symptoms of heart attack are hard to miss,
there are varying degrees of severity.
It is altogether too common for people to die from undiagnosed heart attack, or from delaying too long
to call for emergency help.
The prognosis for treatment is far better for patients treated in the early stages of a heart attack.
The most common misdiagnoses include heartburn, or other less severe causes of chest pain.
See the introduction to heart attack and the symptoms of heart attack.
Heart attacks can be overdiagnosed: Although many people die from heart attacks, there are also
many cases where people fear that they have a heart attack, but actually have something milder.
Some of the conditions which may be causes of chest pain, causing fear of a heart attack, including
an anxiety attack, heartburn, and so on.
See the causes of chest pain and the symptoms of heart attack.
Cluster of diseases with difficult diagnosis issues: There is a well-known list of
medical conditions that are all somewhat difficult to diagnose, and all can present
in a variety of different severities.
Diseases in this group include multiple sclerosis, lupus, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia,
thyroid disorders (hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism),
chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes - all of these can have vague symptoms in their early presentations.
Also, depression can have some symptoms similar to these conditions, and also the reverse,
that many of these conditions can mimic depression and be misdiagnosed as depression.
Rare type of breast cancer without a lump: There is a less common form
of breast cancer called inflammatory breast cancer.
Its symptoms can be an inflammation of the breast tissue, such as with a breast rash
with redness and warmth, but not necessarily a physical breast lump.
This type of breast cancer should be considered as an uncommon possibility
for certain types of breast symptoms.
Poorly healing leg rashes a classic sign of chronic disease: Recurring leg rashes,
or poorly healing leg rashes, are a classic sign of undiagnosed diabetes,
particularly of Type 2 diabetes, but also Type 1 diabetes.
They can also occur with poor diabetic control.
However, there are many other possible causes of leg rashes.
See causes of leg rash or misdiagnosis of diabetes.
Leg cramps at night a classic sign: The symptom of having leg muscle cramps,
particularly at night, is a classic sign of undiagnosed diabetes.
However, there are also various other causes.
See causes of leg cramps or misdiagnosis of diabetes.
Over-diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension in obese patients: A diagnosis
of pulmonary hypertension, particularly pulmonary arterial hypertension,
is often a misdiagnosis in obese patients.
Exertional dyspnea leads to a diagnostic reading of high right ventricular systolic pressure,
which seems to indicate pulmonary hypertension, but is ultimately found to be an
incorrect diagnosis.
See misdiagnosis of pulmonary hypertension.
Obesity-related conditions undiagnosed in children: A variety of conditions
are associated with obesity (see obesity), but these tend to be undiagnosed more often
in child patients than in adults.
Some of the overlooked conditions may include hypertension, diabetes, acanthosis nigricans, etc.
See misdiagnosis of obesity or introduction to obesity.
Undiagnosed celiac disease in pregnancy harms fetus: The failure
to diagnose the common but less known digestive disease celiac disease (see symptoms of celiac disease)
is linked to adverse fetal outcomes.
See misdiagnosis of celiac disease.
Misdiagnosed weight-related causes of infertility: A woman's weight status
can affect her level of fertility.
Although obesity or overweight can in themselves reduce fertility, there are other
weight-related or associated medical conditions that further reduce fertility.
Some of these hidden causes include COPD, diabetes, thyroid disorders (overactive thyroid
or underactive thyroid) and metabolic syndrome.
See also other causes of infertility.
Gestational diabetes: Rare Types
Rare types of medical disorders and diseases in related medical areas:
- Chronic Major Diseases -- Rare Types:
- Women's Reproductive Health -- rare types of diseases:
- Women's General Health: rare types of diseases:
- Pregnancy: rare types of diseases:
- more rare diseases...»
General Misdiagnosis Articles
Read these general articles with an overview of misdiagnosis issues.
About misdiagnosis:
When checking for a misdiagnosis of Gestational diabetes
or confirming a diagnosis of Gestational diabetes,
it is useful to consider what other
medical conditions might be possible misdiagnoses or other alternative
conditions relevant to diagnosis.
These alternate diagnoses of Gestational diabetes may already have
been considered by your doctor or may need to be considered as possible
alternative diagnoses or candidates for misdiagnosis of Gestational diabetes.
For a general overview of misdiagnosis issues for all diseases,
see Overview of Misdiagnosis.
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