Pregnancy and diabetes
July 21, 2009
Pregnancy is a trying time. It involves several bodily changes. These result in associated health issues. These issues need to be attended to immediately keeping in mind the safety of the mother and child.
Diabetes that occurs during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. It normally occurs in the second trimester. Diabetes is a condition where the pancreas is unable to produce sufficient insulin to absorb the glucose into the cells.
This condition occurs during pregnancy when there are hormonal changes that make the body more resistant to insulin. The pancreas may not be able to produce enough insulin to keep up with the hormonal changes.
This leads to gestational diabetes. If left unattended this can affect the fetus and be life threatening to the mother. The condition normally reverses itself soon after delivery.
Symptoms
There are no noticeable symptoms of gestational diabetes except for higher fatigue levels, increased thirst, and urination. Women who are pre-diabetic or those who have a family history of diabetes are more likely to have this condition.
Also, overweight women are more likely than others to have this condition. Proper prenatal care is required to counter the problem along with diet restrictions.
Effects
Untreated diabetes can lead to problems for the baby. Mothers with gestational diabetes are more likely to have babies with high birth weight leading to complications during delivery.
The child could also get affected by blindness, obesity, and chances of developing Type-2 diabetes, as they grow older. Gestation diabetes can also lead to pre-eclampsia and high protein levels in the urine; this is harmful for the health of the mother and leads to premature childbirth.
Frequent checkups, controlling the blood sugar by way of medication appropriate for pregnancy and diet restrictions will help keep the condition under control.
It is important to get screened for gestational diabetes in the fifth month of pregnancy. If diagnosed with gestational diabetes, sugar levels need to be monitored carefully. The mother should go for a post partum blood sugar check up.
This is to ensure that the blood sugar levels have dropped to normal levels. It is important to note that women with gestation diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes later on in life. Hence, adequate exercise, balanced diet, and medication if required needs to be taken at the right time and the levels should be monitored at regular intervals.






























