Diabetes and Pregnancy – How Does One Effect The Other?
Diabetes that affects pregnant women is referred to as gestational diabetes, or GD. This type of diabetes normally occurs in the late stages of pregnancy, starting in the twenty-fourth to twenty-eighth week of pregnancy. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes is a scary prospect for many expectant mothers, but sadly, it is a reality that soon-to-be parents face daily. Reports indicate that in the USA alone, approximately 140,000 women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes annually.
The cause of gestational diabetes is largely unknown, although there is some link to pregnancy hormones and the placenta. If your body is unable to make or use all the insulin it needs, glucose remaining in the blood eventually reaches abnormally high levels.
Unlike other health problems, gestational diabetes does not normally result in birth defects; however, it can have repercussions for the baby. Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes tend to be large and this can lead to injuries to the child’s shoulders during the normal birthing process. The babies can have jaundice, low glucose levels and higher insulin levels than is the norm, as well as breathing problems. It is also believed that babies born with high insulin levels are at a higher risk for obesity.
Gestational diabetes can also cause problems for the mother, as delivering a larger-than-normal baby can be difficult and, in many instances, results in a caesarian section. In addition, gestational diabetes increases the risk of developing type II diabetes later on in life.
Like all types of diabetes, gestational diabetes can be controlled by a combination of eating correctly, medication, and exercise. Once a diagnosis of gestational diabetes is given, treatment should be started immediately. Special diet plans are normally given to mothers with gestational diabetes to help them control their blood sugar level. These diet plans are carried out in collaboration with a trained dietician. You will need to limit your intake of pastries and increase your intake of healthier foods such as vegetables, whole grain, and fruits.
Moderate exercise is also recommended to help control gestational diabetes, although previous levels of physical activity have to be taken into account. Physical activity helps the body use up the excess glucose without the need for extra insulin. If you were not exercising before you got pregnant, it would be unwise to start any strenuous exercise at this stage of your pregnancy.
It is also important to monitor your sugar level closely. Set up a routine so that you know when to test your glucose level.
A diagnosis of GD or gestational diabetes in one pregnancy is normally an indication that the same diagnosis will happen again in later pregnancies. However, gestational diabetes normally goes away within a few weeks of giving birth, although many women do later on develop type I or II diabetes during their lives.
To learn more go to Diabetes Drugs and at Gestational Diabetes Diet
Gestational diabetes is when a pregnant woman who has never had diabetes develops diabetes in the twenty-fourth to twenty-eighth week of pregnancy. There are reportedly 135,000 cases of gestational diabetes every year in the United States. While it is a...
Diabetes Treatment MethodsExactly how diabetes is treated depends on a number of factors: which type the patient has, how severe it is, the age of the patient and others....
How Does Diabetes Effect Dental Health?Diabetes is a major contributor to gum disease, which in turn leads to tooth decay if action is not taken early. Diabetes makes it difficult for the mouth’s immune system to function properly, and the mouth becomes a prime breeding...
Fresh Excogitation of Diabetes TreatmentThe disease known as diabetes affects a majority of people in our world today. People within the 10 to 70 year age groups suffer from this disease. A decrease in the hormone known as insulin is the cause of diabetic...
Diabetes: A Growing Health ConcernDiabetes is a disease which can be developed by anyone whose pancreas start functioning improperly & stops secreting hormones that generates Insulin. So, the diabetes is caused when either the insulin is not produced or its not properly utilized by...