A pregnant woman has to be careful about a lot of things during pregnancy for the good health of her unborn baby and herself too. Diabetes during pregnancy is one such condition that she has to be extremely careful about since it can prove fatal to her baby in future. Thanks to all the advancements in the medical field, managing diabetes during pregnancy has become quite easy nowadays. So as a pregnant woman you need not worry too much about it but only be careful and take proper steps to manage diabetes during pregnancy.
What is diabetes during pregnancy?
Diabetes during pregnancy is also known as gestational diabetes. It is distinguished by high sugar or glucose level in the blood which is first recognized during pregnancy. It affects 1% to 3% of all pregnant women and normally goes away once the baby is born.
Why does diabetes during pregnancy occur?
Glucose or sugar is an essential element for the body since it is used to produce energy for the body. We get glucose from sugary foods and also from complex carbohydrates. Pancreas produces insulin which helps in processing the foods to create energy. Under certain conditions when the body cannot produce enough insulin the glucose level increases in the blood which leads to diabetes.
Measuring diabetes during pregnancy - pregnancy care
During pregnancy the glucose needed by the baby is also supplied by the mother like other nutrients through the placenta. The placenta itself produces a lot of hormones for the growth of the baby. These hormones have an adverse effect on the insulin producing capacity of the mother’s pancreas. This is known as impaired glucose intolerance. As insulin production drops the chances of developing diabetes during pregnancy increases.
Normally a mother’s pancreas is able to produce three times the normal insulin level and meet up the excess demand. But under certain conditions if insulin is not produced in sufficient amount then gestational diabetes occurs.
Who are at risk of gestational diabetes?
Several factors may work to increase your chances of getting diabetes during pregnancy. Some of the factors are as follows
- Obesity
- Family history of diabetes
- Certain ethnic groups like Hispanic or native-American or Asian
- Previous record of stillborn baby
- Given birth to large baby or baby with birth defects
- Age above 25
What risk does gestational diabetes pose for the baby and the mother?
Diabetes can adversely affect the baby in pregnancy. Early diabetes can lead to miscarriage and birth defects that affect the brain and heart. If gestational diabetes develops in second or third trimester then it can lead to overweight or large baby which will make labor and delivery difficult. The baby can develop hypoglycemia and his chances of having jaundice also increases. Some babies have low calcium and high red blood cells also. Gestational diabetes increases chances of preeclampsia for the mother. Pregnant women who develop diabetes during pregnancy are at higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes in future.
How to diagnose diabetes during pregnancy?
Gestational diabetes has no symptoms so you have to undergo tests to be sure about it. Women belonging to high risk group are screened early for diabetes. It is recommended that all pregnant women undergo tests between 24th and 28th week of pregnancy for diabetes.
How to manage diabetes during pregnancy?
Diabetes poses several risk factors for you and your unborn baby. Thus it is extremely important to manage diabetes during pregnancy. To manage diabetes during pregnancy you have to take care of four things namely diet, weight gain, insulin dose and exercise.
Diet
If you develop gestational diabetes your doctor may ask you to make some changes in your diet. You may require seeing a dietician also.
- Eat in small quantities but frequently to maintain glucose level.
- Avoid foods which contain simple sugar like cakes, cookies and ice cream.
- Opt for fruits and wholegrain foods like pasta, rice and wholegrain bread.
- Never skip breakfast as glucose level is particularly low in the mornings.
- Your meals should well-balanced.
- Take supplements of vitamins and minerals to meet the nutritional needs of the baby.
Weight gain
If you develop diabetes during pregnancy you have to be particularly careful about weight gain. Your doctor will suggest changes in your diet that will ensure proper nutrition for your and the baby and control weight gain also.
- You may have to go for smaller meals.
- Avoid oily, fatty and greasy foods.
- Include foods rich in fiber in your diet.
- Decrease consumption of saturated fat and total fat consumption should not be more than 40% of total calorie intake.
Exercise
Exercise is very effective in managing diabetes during pregnancy. Exercising helps in keeping the blood sugar normal.
- Your doctor will advise you about the type of exercises you can do.
- Walking is the most simple and effective exercise that you can do.
- Besides walking you can go for swimming or other forms also.
- If you are not in the habit of exercising then start with 5 to 10 minutes every day and then increase it gradually.
- Never over stress yourself while exercising.
Insulin dose
Insulin is the safest way to control gestational diabetes. Insulin is safe for the baby so you need not worry about these shots. Always take insulin dose in the right proportion as suggested by your doctor.
Diabetes during pregnancy can prove critical for the baby and the mother in future. So it becomes all the more necessary to manage it during pregnancy and also continue with diet control and other precautionary measures to avoid its ill effects in later life.