Pregnancy is a beautiful phase and every mother during this phase can enjoy it to the fullest. Although like there is everything to celebrate when it comes to pregnancy there are certain things that may cause distress and worry, most common ones include gestational diabetes.
What is gestational diabetes?
One kind of diabetes that is initially identified during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. Like other forms of diabetes, it affects how your body processes sugar (glucose), leading to high blood sugar levels. This can impact both your pregnancy and your baby’s health.
What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes usually doesn’t have clear warning signs. The symptoms are mild and often unnoticed until your gynecologists recommend a test.
Most common symptoms of gestational diabetes include:
- Frequent urination
- Nausea
- Extreme thirst
- Tiredness
Consult the best diabetes doctor in Coimbatore if you are facing these symptoms and looking for expert care.
What can cause gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is caused by hormonal changes and how your body processes food into energy. Insulin is a hormone that helps break down glucose (sugar) from food and delivers it to your cells. Your blood sugar is maintained at a healthy level by it. However, if insulin doesn’t work properly or you don’t have enough of it, sugar accumulates in your blood, leading to diabetes.
During pregnancy, hormones from the placenta can disrupt how the insulin works, making it less effective at regulating your blood sugar levels. This can result in gestational diabetes.
Who is at risk of developing gestational diabetes?
In the pregnancy phase anyone can develop gestational diabetes. Although few major risk factors include:
- High blood pressure
- Being overweight
- History of gestational diabetes
- PCOS
- Being old in age
- A family history of diabetes
How does diabetes affect pregnancy in the womb?
Heavy birth weight:
It is common for babies to be larger than average for their gestational age, a condition known as macrosomia. This can raise the risk of complications during birth, including the need for induced labor or a c-section.
For instance, a large baby increases the risk of shoulder dystocia, where the baby’s shoulders get stuck behind the pelvic bone during pregnancy. This can be dangerous, as it may block the baby’s breathing if the head is blocked if the baby’s body is stuck.
Premature birth:
Mothers with gestational diabetes are more likely to give birth early on. Before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature birth increases the risk of complications for the baby, such as jaundice or respiratory distress syndrome.
Respiratory distress syndrome is a condition where an infant has trouble breathing, often requiring breathing support in the early days of life. As the lungs mature and strengthen, the baby usually gains the ability to breathe on their own.
Rebound hypoglycemia:
Shortly after birth, infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes often face health issues due to higher-than normal insulin levels. Low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia, is common in these babies and can cause symptoms like irritability and extreme fatigue. Seizures may result from hypoglycemia in extreme situations.
Congenital malformation:
Mothers with gestational diabetes have a higher chance of giving birth to babies with certain birth defects, including anencephaly, spina bifida, and caudal dysplasia.
Infant loss:
In severe cases, gestational diabetes can lead to the loss of the baby. Women with this condition are at a higher risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
What are the complications that might occur if gestational diabetes is not managed?
If you can’t maintain healthy blood sugar levels, it can cause complications for both you and your baby.
Gestational diabetes raises your risk of:
- Pre-eclampsia
- C-section
People with gestational diabetes have a slightly higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
What happens if you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes?
If you have gestational diabetes, your pregnancy care provider will refer you to a nutritionist who specializes in this condition. During the appointment, you’ll discuss how certain foods can raise blood sugar levels and learn how to plan your meals and snacks with the right types and amounts of food.
They will also guide you on how to check your blood sugar at home and explain what your levels should be after meals.
Finally, your gynecologist will go over a plan to manage your gestational diabetes. You may have more prenatal visits to track your baby’s growth, monitor your weight gain, and review how well you’re controlling your blood sugar.
What are the options for diagnosing gestational diabetes?
Your healthcare provider will check your blood sugar during pregnancy with a blood test. The first test is usually a screening to see if you’re at higher risk for gestational diabetes. If you don’t pass the screening, your provider will order a second, more detailed blood test.
Glucose challenge test:
This test is often referred to as a glucose screening test or a one-hour glucose tolerance test. You will drink a sweet liquid and then wait for an hour. After the hour, a healthcare provider will take a blood sample from your arm. If your blood sugar is too high, your provider will order a glucose tolerance test.
Glucose tolerance test:
This test, sometimes called a two-hour or three-hour glucose test, is done if your initial test results are abnormal. Your healthcare provider will take a blood sample before and then again at one, two, three hour intervals after you drink a sweet liquid. This test helps confirm whether you have gestational diabetes.
What are the steps to prevent gestational diabetes?
There’s no sure way to prevent gestational diabetes, but adopting healthy habits before pregnancy can help. If you have had gestational diabetes before, these healthy choices might also lower your risk of having it again in future pregnancies or developing type 2 diabetes later on.
Consume healthy foods:
Choose foods that are high in fiber and low in fat and calories. Focus on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Aim for variety to meet your goals while still enjoying your meals. Be mindful of portion sizes.
Stay active:
Exercising before and during pregnancy can help lower your risk of developing gestational diabetes. Try to get 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week, like going for a brisk daily walk.
Start your pregnancy journey when you are at the right weight:
If you’re planning to get pregnant, losing extra weight before conceiving can lead to a healthier pregnancy. Focus on making lasting changes to your eating habits, like adding more vegetables and fruits to your diet.
Do not gain excess weight than recommended:
It’s normal and healthy for pregnant women to gain some weight. However, gaining too much weight too quickly can raise your risk of developing gestational diabetes.
Can drinking water help manage gestational diabetes?
Staying hydrated is important during pregnancy, especially if you have gestational diabetes. However, there’s no evidence that drinking water alone will directly lower blood sugar levels.
Staying hydrated does help your body manage blood sugar levels. It helps dilute your blood, making it easier for your kidneys to remove excess sugar. Drinking water can also assist your body in using insulin more effectively, which aids in regulating blood sugar.
Will gestational diabetes return to normal after delivery?
Your blood sugar level should decrease after you give birth, as your hormone levels return to normal. Your pregnancy care provider will test you for gestational diabetes after your baby is born to ensure that it has resolved.
Can gestational diabetes make your pregnancy high-risk?
Yes, having gestational diabetes can make your pregnancy high risk. A pregnancy is considered high risk when you or your baby have health conditions that increase the likelihood of side effects of sugar during pregnancy.
Can you deliver a healthy baby with gestational diabetes?
Yes, most babies are born healthy. You can take steps to manage gestational diabetes during pregnancy to give your child the best start. Attending all your prenatal appointments and carefully managing your diabetes are the most important things you can do.
Important Takeaway:
Most people can manage gestational diabetes by making small changes to their diet, with help from the best diabetes hospital in Coimbatore. However, some may need insulin to keep their blood sugar levels in check. Generally, well-managed gestational diabetes doesn’t have a significant impact on your pregnancy.
