gestational diabetes
gestational diabetes : Before Pregnancy
Despite advances, babies born to women with
gestational diabetes, especially women with poor diabetes control, are still at greater risk for birth defects. High blood glucose levels and ketones (substances that in large amounts are poisonous to the body) pass through the placenta to the baby. These increase the chance of birth defects.
For this reason, good blood glucose control before you get pregnant is very important. Most women do not know they are pregnant until the baby has been growing for two to four weeks. During the first six weeks of pregnancy, the baby's organs are forming. Your blood glucose levels during these early weeks affect the baby's growing organs. High blood glucose levels can lead to birth defects.
Because these early weeks are so important to your baby, you need to plan your pregnancy. If your blood glucose levels are not in good control, work to bring your diabetes under control before getting pregnant. It is a good idea to be in good blood glucose control three to six months before you plan to get pregnant. You'll want to keep excellent blood glucose control during pregnancy, and after as well.
How do high blood glucose levels cause problems? When extra sugar is in your blood, the baby is "fed" extra sugar, too. All this excess sugar can make the baby too big and fat. Delivery of big babies is harder on mom and baby.
Because your baby is getting extra sugar, your baby's pancreas makes extra insulin. After birth, it's hard for the baby to stop putting out extra insulin. The baby must be watched, and treated if the blood glucose level drops too low.
For some reason, jaundice happens more often in babies of women with diabetes. Jaundice is a build-up of old red blood cells that the body can't process fast enough. This problem goes away rapidly with treatment.
http://www.diabetes.org/type-1-diabetes/sex-and-pregnancy/before-pregnancy.jsp
gestational diabetes : Treating gestational diabetes
Treating gestational diabetes
Because gestational diabetes can hurt you and your baby, you need to start treatment quickly. Treatment for gestational diabetes aims to keep blood glucose levels equal to those of pregnant women who don't have gestational diabetes. Treatment for gestational diabetes always includes special meal plans and scheduled physical activity. It may also include daily blood glucose testing and insulin injections. You will need help from your doctor, nurse educator, and other members of your health care team so that your treatment for gestational diabetes can be changed as needed.
For you as the mother-to-be, treatment for gestational diabetes helps lower the risk of a cesarean section birth that very large babies may require. Sticking with your treatment for gestational diabetes will give you a healthy pregnancy and birth, and may help your baby avoid future poor health.
Gestational diabetes -- Looking ahead
Gestational diabetes usually goes away after pregnancy. But once you've had gestational diabetes, your chances are 2 in 3 that it will return in future pregnancies. In a few women, however, pregnancy uncovers type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It is hard to tell whether these women have gestational diabetes or have just started showing their diabetes during pregnancy. These women will need to continue diabetes treatment after pregnancy.
Many women who have gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes years later. There seems to be a link between the tendency to have gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes both involve insulin resistance. Certain basic lifestyle changes may help prevent diabetes after gestational diabetes.
Losing weight Are you more than 20% over your ideal body weight? Losing even a few pounds can help you avoid developing type 2 diabetes.
Making healthy food choices Follow simple daily guidelines, like eating a variety of foods including fresh fruits and vegetables, limiting fat intake to 30% or less of daily calories, and watching your portion size. Healthy eating habits can go a long way in preventing diabetes and other health problems.
Exercising Regular exercise allows your body to use glucose without extra insulin. This helps combat insulin resistance and is what makes exercise helpful to people with diabetes. Never start an exercise program without checking with your doctor first.
Keeping worry in perspective
While
gestational diabetes is a cause for concern, the good news is that you and your health care team - your doctor, obstetrician, nurse educator, and dietitian - work together to lower your high blood glucose levels. And with this help, you can turn your concern into a healthy pregnancy for you, and a healthy start for your baby.
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gestational diabetes : What is gestational diabetes?
You are 28 weeks pregnant. Your health care provider has just told you that you have gestational diabetes. Should you be concerned about gestational diabetes?
The short answer: yes. Good care means a lot for your health and your baby's health.
What is gestational diabetes?
Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before but who have high blood sugar (glucose) levels during pregnancy are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women - about 135,000 cases of gestational diabetes in the United States each year.
We don't know what causes gestational diabetes, but we have some clues. The placenta supports the baby as it grows. Hormones from the placenta help the baby develop. But these hormones also block the action of the mother's insulin in her body. This problem is called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance makes it hard for the mother's body to use insulin. She may need up to three times as much insulin.
Gestational diabetes starts when your body is not able to make and use all the insulin it needs for pregnancy. Without enough insulin, glucose cannot leave the blood and be changed to energy. Glucose builds up in the blood to high levels. This is called hyperglycemia.
How gestational diabetes can affect your baby
Gestational diabetes affects the mother in late pregnancy, after the baby's body has been formed, but while the baby is busy growing. Because of this, gestational diabetes does not cause the kinds of birth defects sometimes seen in babies whose mothers had diabetes before pregnancy.
However, untreated or poorly controlled gestational diabetes can hurt your baby. When you have gestational diabetes, your pancreas works overtime to produce insulin, but the insulin does not lower your blood glucose levels. Although insulin does not cross the placenta, glucose and other nutrients do. So extra blood glucose goes through the placenta, giving the baby high blood glucose levels. This causes the baby's pancreas to make extra insulin to get rid of the blood glucose. Since the baby is getting more energy than it needs to grow and develop, the extra energy is stored as fat.
This can lead to macrosomia, or a "fat" baby. Babies with macrosomia face health problems of their own, including damage to their shoulders during birth. Because of the extra insulin made by the baby's pancreas, newborns may have very low blood glucose levels at birth and are also at higher risk for breathing problems. Babies with excess insulin become children who are at risk for obesity and adults who are at risk for type 2 diabetes.
http://www.diabetes.org/gestational-diabetes.jsp
gestational diabetes : Diabetic Pregnant Women
Gestational diabetes affects approximately 3 to 5 percent of all pregnant women in the United States. This article addresses issues such as diet, exercise, blood sugar level and general medical care of women with gestational diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease where the body uses food improperly. The body gets its main energy source from glucose or from a breakdown of complex carbohydrates such as starches. Once sugar and starches are digested, they enter the blood stream in the form of glucose. Insulin assists the body in getting the glucose from the blood stream to the muscles and other body tissues. The pancreas is where insulin is manufactured. Glucose cannot get into the body cells without insulin. Instead, glucose accumulates in the blood and is excreted into the urine through the kidneys.
Women with gestational diabetes have plenty of insulin. The problem is that the insulin is partly blocked by hormones made in the placenta. This is called insulin resistance. In women without gestational diabetes, the pancreas makes enough insulin to overcome the insulin resistance. But when the pancreas makes all the insulin it can and it still cannot overcome the effect of the placenta's hormones, that woman has gestational diabetes.
Factors associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes are obesity, diabetes in the family, a stillbirth, or a child with a birth defect. Studies have shown that women older than 25 are also at greater risk. The Council on Diabetes in Pregnancy recommends that all pregnant women be screened for this disease. One of the most common screening methods is the 50-gram glucose screening test.
The key to preventing complications is control of blood sugar levels immediately after the diagnosis of gestational diabetes. A comforting fact is that gestational diabetes does not cause birth defects. But many babies are born much larger than average. The baby can grow too large for a vaginal birth and a cesarean section delivery is necessary. In some cases, the baby is born with hypoglycemia. In this case, the baby will be given glucose intravenously. These two examples are manageable and preventable. The key is careful control of blood sugar levels in the mother immediately after the diagnosis of gestational diabetes.
An important component in caring for
gestational diabetes is a strict diet. There is a wide assortment of literature that details dietary guidelines for women with gestational diabetes. Her health care practitioner will teach her how to measure her blood glucose level at home. Additionally, she may have to check her urine for ketones (these are by-products of the breakdown of fat). Ketones may be found in the blood and urine as a result of inadequate insulin.
It is very unlikely that the baby will have diabetes. However, the child may be at risk for Type II diabetes. Other problems such as hypoglycemia and jaundice may also occur.
More than likely, gestational diabetes goes away immediately after delivery. But these women are at risk of developing it in future pregnancies. Make sure to have screening tests during subsequent pregnancies in the first trimester.
by Michael Russell
gestational diabetes : Diabetes
Diabetes has many negative factors on our economy. The average annual costs to treat someone with diabetes are over $13,000. Even if you have insurance, the co-pays, or deductibles can be prohibitive. Many people that have diagnosed with diabetes can not even afford the medication they need. This has multiple repercussions on our society as these untreated people develop complications that can take them out of the work force and leave them unable to care for their families.
Medical science has invested a lot of money in time in studying diabetes and trying to develop a cure. Before we get into the specifics of diabetes, you will need to know a few terms.
Insulin: Hormone (one of the most important ones) that is secreted by cells in the pancreas. Insulin is needed to maintain normal blood sugar levels, to keep fat stored in fat cells and to make sure protein is used to build muscles.
Pancreas: An organ located in the lower part of the stomach that secretes enzymes into the small intestine to help digest food. The pancreas is about the size of a fist. The pancreas can be donated and transplanted typically for diabetic patients who suffer kidney failure.
Diabetes occurs when people do not make enough insulin or they have problems responding to the insulin there body does make. There are 3 types of diabetes, Type 1, Type 2 and
Gestational Diabetes. Type 1 is when the body makes no insulin. Type 2 is when the body cannot use the insulin it makes. Gestational diabetes occurs when a pregnant woman’s pancreas cannot keep up with the extra demand placed on it during the pregnancy. The pancreas cannot produce enough extra insulin, resulting in high levels of blood sugar. This condition is called hyperglycemia.
Type 2 diabetes and Gestational Diabetes can be prevented; Type 1 cannot.
By Perriann Rodriguez
gestational diabetes : Signs Of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a condition that affects pregnant women.
If you are pregnant, you should be aware of the signs of gestational diabetes so that you can seek medical attention immediately.
Although you may not have diabetes and may never have diabetes over the span of your life, you may be at risk for developing gestational diabetes.
Diabetes is a condition where you body fails to covert sugar properly.
This excess sugar builds up in the body and can be potentially fatal if left unchecked. Although this condition can be caused by genetic disposition, diet, and other outside factors, women who are pregnant are also at risk for a unique form of the disease.
Typically, when the baby is born, the diabetes will disappear and may not appear if you become pregnant with another child.
What Causes Gestational Diabetes?
Approximately one in 25 pregnant women is affected by gestational diabetes.
Typically, this type of diabetes will occur during the last three months of the pregnancy , but may potentially occur before that time.
The surge of hormones that are present while you are pregnant can completely change your body chemistry.
Furthermore, these hormones can make someone who has never had any problems converting sugars in their body suddenly unable to do so properly.
The specific hormones that are believed to be the root cause of the problem come from the placenta.
Although not all women are likely to develop gestational diabetes, you may be more at risk if you are overweight or expecting over the age of 30.
Signs Of Gestational Diabetes
The most common signs associated with gestational diabetes are extreme hunger and thirst .
Although a growling stomach is certainly no stranger to a pregnant woman, any extreme feelings may be signs of a problem.
Associated with the increased liquid intake is an increased urinary output. Again, this is a common complaint for pregnant women, but any extreme urination should be noted.
Other symptoms include blurred vision and excess weight gain.
If you believe that you are suffering from any of these symptoms, contact your obstetrician.
He or she will run a test to see whether or not you have developed gestational diabetes.
What To Do After Diagnosis
If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, consider reading up on the disease itself.
Education is the key to acceptance and can make a condition that seems scary very livable, at least until the birth of your child.
Typically, women with mild cases of
gestational diabetes can control the condition with a proper diet that is prescribed by your physician.
Be sure to understand which foods can cause problems with the condition and avoid them if at all possible.
If you have been diagnosed with a more serious case of gestational diabetes, you may need to have daily injections of insulin and test your blood sugar regularly.
Especially with women who need to use insulin injections, the threat of hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia is especially dangerous.
For this reason, carry the appropriate items, including insulin syringes and sugared candies with you at all times.
If you feel the onset of either hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, immediately call 911 or head straight to your local hospital.
By Mike Herman
gestational diabetes : FAMILY HISTORY
A family history of diabetes increases one’s chances of getting the disease. In such a situation, leading a healthy lifestyle and constant monitoring of one’s blood sugar level becomes very important. AGE AND RACE: Most Type II diabetes patient are over 40yrs at presentation of the disease. However, the proportion of increase in the incidence of this disease with age is higher for those with a family history of diabetes, obese and probably those leading sedentary lifestyles. Moreover, diabetes tends to be more prevalent among Africans, African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans and Asian Americans. Belonging to any of the races is a risk factor in itself.
HISTORY OF
GESTATIONAL DIABETES: in a woman also increases her chances/possibility of developing permanent diabetes later in life.
YOU CAN PREVENT/DELAY DIABETES! Diabetes have no permanent cure once it develops, it is managed al through life. But you can prevent ever falling into this life long pain. Before diabetes present in people, it is almost always preceded by a situation called PRE DIABETES. A situation where the blood glucose is higher than normal, but not yet enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Saddening, however, you cannot know when you fall into this category, if you have not being monitoring your blood glucose regularly.
Pre Diabetes is itself a serious medical situation, though can still be reversed by making changes in diet pattern and increasing physical activity. To determine one’s blood sugar a test called Fasting Blood Glucose has to be conducted. This test measures the amount of glucose (sugar) in one’s blood before taking any meal for the day. It is measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl).
A value below 100mg/dl is generally accepted to be normal, while a value greater than 100mg/dl but less than 120mg/dl is not full diabetes yet, so it is regarded as Pre diabetes. An individual with a pre diabetes blood glucose level need to take urgent steps to reduce his blood glucose or risk life long diabetes.
It should be emphasized, however, that the racial and genetic factors predisposing to diabetes are still beyond human comprehension and control. It makes common sense, therefore, to reduce all human controllable factors to the barest minimum. Most of these factors have to do with social occupational and diet habits.
The following tips can help reduce your diabetes risk:
* Reduce weight. Obesity seems to be the single most significant factor in diabetes. Reducing body weight and fat and maintaining an average body weight is very essential. To this end a body mass index (BMI) less than 25kg/m2 for males and less than 24kg/m2 for females is recommended.
* Increase Physical Activity. It is an established fact that diabetes is more common among people that lead a sedentary affluent lifestyle. Simple dynamic exercises like brisk walking for 30-50mins daily or 3-5times weekly has been shown to be very helpful. Exercise reduces bodyweight and fat, increases functionality of the heart, reduces the chances of diabetes and also boosts emotions and healthy living.
* Cut down or cut out alcohol. Alcoholic intake of more than 2units per day has been shown to adversely affect the body. Alcohol being an addictive drug makes it very difficult to maintain a definite amount of intake for a long time. It is better therefore to strive to cut out alcohol completely.
* Avoid Smoking. Cigarette smoke has been shown to contain several poisonous substances. Cigarette smoking and alcohol have been related to several disease. Stopping smoking will definitely reduce the chances of several other ailments apart from diabetes.
* Lean good eating habits, such as;
* Cut down on fatty food and junks
* Eat more of fish and poultry (without the skin is better).
* Garlic reduces blood pressure cholesterol; add it to your meal plan once in a while.
* Cut the number of eggs you take to 3- 4 weekly (better boiled than fried).
* Reduce salt intake to less than 5.8grams daily.
* Eat more of vegetables and fibre rich food, especially fruits.
* Finally, constantly monitor your fasting blood glucose, as this is the only way to know when you are getting into trouble.
CONCLUSION
Diabetes and Hypertension being so interlinked requires a comprehensive plan of care, and this revolves round one’s dietary habits, social and environmental factors. Several lifestyle changes like regular exercise, maintaining a moderate body weight, reduction of fat intake and high fibre diet all help to live a normal healthy life. These measures are known to increase insulin sensitivity and also reduce blood pressure.
Conclusively, it is very important to create a more health conscious individuals in the populace. A people who practically believe that it is better and cheaper to prevent an illness than to treat it, when it has become stronger. Moreover, preventive health cannot be divorced from regular medical checks, as this two go hand in hand. There is no way to detect several non-communicable diseases without undergoing regular medical checks. The importance of these checks cannot be over emphasized. Be alive to your health. Know your Blood glucose values and live a healthier life free from the pains of diabetes.
by Mr. Adefemi Kazeem
gestational diabetes : TYPES OF DIABETES.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), five classes of diabetes are recognized, these are; Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IDDM) or Type I Diabetes, Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) or Type II Diabetes, Gestational Diabetes, Diabetes Insipidus and Bronze Diabetes.
INSULIN DEPENDENT/TYPE I DIABETES: This type of diabetes was initially called Juvenile onset diabetes because it affects adolescents and young adults. It is caused by a sudden failure of the pancreas to produce Insulin. It is, therefore, an acute disease, presenting with thirst, polyuria (passing large amount of urine), diuresis and weight loss. Type I diabetes is not common, it accounts for less than 10% of all diabetes cases.
NON-INSULIN DEPENDENT/ TYPE II DIABETES: This is the most prevalent type of diabetes, accounting for more than 80% of all diabetic cases. It is found in adults and the elderly. This type of diabetes develops gradually over a long period of time (unnoticed) and is characterized by insufficient insulin, deficient insulin in the blood or the inability of the body to utilize the insulin resent (Insulin resistance). Because of its slow and gradual occurrence, it is mostly undetected until one or more of its long-term complications appear.
Unlike in Type I Diabetes, the Insulin in the blood of a Type II diabetic may be normal or even high, but lacks the desired effect, due to insulin resistance, and this is prevalent among obese people.
GESTATIONAL DIABETES: This type of diabetes occurs during pregnancy and disappears after delivery, within 3weeks. An estimated 3% of all pregnancies are accompanied by
gestational diabetes and almost half of these patients are prone to developing permanent diabetes later in life. WHAT CAUSES DIABETES.
As with hypertension and other non communicable diseases, no clear cut cause(s) can be attributed to the most prevalent type of diabetes (Type II Diabetes, Type I diabetes being secondary to failure of the pancreas). However, some factors are known to increase one’s chances of becoming diabetic and these are called risk factors. For example, indolent and well-fed populations are 2 – 20times more likely to develop type II diabetes than active and lean population of the same race. Some other factors known to increase one chances of getting diabetes include:
OBESITY: It is estimated that three quarter (¾) of all Type II diabetes patient are obese. Indolent and affluent lifestyles tend to contribute to this. It is believed that a 10kg loss of weight can reduce fasting blood sugar level by almost 50md/dl. An active lifestyle with frequent exercise is also known to increase Insulin sensitivity.
The International standard for measuring overweight and obesity is based on a value called BODY MASS INDEX (BMI). This value is derived by dividing the body weight (in Kilograms) by the square of height (in metres).
i.e. BMI = Body weight (Kg) / Height2 (Metres).
Note: 1ft = 0.305metres.
For adults, a BMI less than 25kg/m2 is preferred.
25 – 29kg/m2 is considered overweight and above 30kg/m2 is Obesity.
By Kazeem Adefemi
gestational diabetes : What You Need To Know About Diabetes
INTRODUCTION
According to the World Health Organization, a few decades back diabetes was an uncommon disease, in both developed and developing countries. Today, the story is different. It is currently estimated that over 143million people worldwide are affected by the disease. This figure is ever increasing, by 2020 over 220million people are expected to be living with diabetes, if the current trend continues.
In the United States alone, there are 18.2 million people (6.3% of the population) living with diabetes. While another 13million people have been diagnosed with diabetes. Unfortunately, 5.2milion (or nearly one third) are unaware that they have the disease.
The figure for Nigeria is not readily available, but it is estimated that over 1.5million people have diabetes in Nigeria.
In developed countries, most patients of diabetes are over sixty, but in developing countries, diabetes is found to affect people in their prime.
WHAT IS DIABETES?
Diabetes Mellitus (or simply diabetes) is derived from the Greek word ‘Diabeinein’, meaning ‘To pass through’ describing copious urination, and Mellitus from the Latin word meaning ‘Sweetened with honey’. These two words signify sweetened urine or sugar in urine.
Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use Insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed, in the body, to control the rate at which sugar, starch and other food are converted into glucose required as energy for daily life. The hormone is produced and released into the blood by an organ called ‘Pancreas’. This insulin help to maintain the blood glucose level within a normal range. The World Health Organization (WHO) puts this normal range between 60 – 100mg/dl (Before taking any food for the day, hence this value is called Fasting Blood Glucose). In health, despite several demands for glucose in different situations, the blood glucose rarely exceeds this value.
After a meal the liver stores the glucose from the meal as glycogen and releases it into the blood in between meals. The role of insulin is the control of this storage and release of glucose. It ensures that the amount of glucose in the blood at every particular time does not go beyond or below the normal range.
By Kazeem Adefemi
gestational diabetes
Introduction
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. Like other forms of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects the way your body uses blood sugar (glucose) — your body's main source of fuel. As a result, your blood sugar level is too high.
If untreated or uncontrolled, gestational diabetes can result in a variety of health problems for you and your baby.
If you have gestational diabetes, you and your doctor will devise a plan to keep your blood sugar levels within a normal range. The good news is that controlling your blood sugar can help ensure a healthy pregnancy for you and a healthy start for your baby.
Signs and symptoms
Most women don't experience any signs or symptoms of
gestational diabetes.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gestational-diabetes/DS00316/DSECTION=3
gestational diabetes : Risk for Developing Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes (also called glucose intolerance of pregnancy) is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. It affects two to four per cent of all pregnancies and involves an increased risk of developing diabetes for both mother and child.
Gestational diabetes means diabetes mellitus (high blood sugar) first found during pregnancy. In most cases, gestational diabetes is managed by diet and exercise and goes away after the baby is born.
Risk for Developing Gestational Diabetes
A family history of diabetes in parents or brothers and sisters.
Gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy.
The presence of a birth defect in a previous pregnancy.
Obesity in the woman, BMI greater than 29.
Older maternal age (over the age of 30).
Previous stillbirth or spontaneous miscarriage.
A previous delivery of a large baby (greater than 9 pounds).
A history of pregnancy induced high blood pressure, urinary tract infections, hydramnios (extra amniotic fluid), etc.
Women of Hispanic, First Nations, or of African-American decent.
Risk for babies born to mothers with Gestational Diabetes
macrosomia (large, fat baby)
shoulder dystocia (birth trauma)
neonatal hypoglycemia (low blood sugar in the newborn)
prolonged newborn jaundice
low blood calcium
respiratory distress syndrome
How to Prevent
Gestational Diabetes?
Adult-onset diabetes can be prevented through healthy eating and regular exercise. 85% of people with diabetes have adult-onset diabetes. It usually occurs in people over 40 years of age, especially those who are overweight. You can significantly reduce your risk of developing diabetes by maintaining a healthy body weight, engaging in regular physical activity, and eating well.
How Is Gestational Diabetes Diagnosed?
Gestational diabetes is usually diagnosed between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy when insulin resistance usually begins. If you have had gestational diabetes before, or if your doctor is concerned about your risk of developing gestational diabetes, the test may be performed before the 13th week of pregnancy.
Cure for Gestational Diabetes?
A cure for Diabetes has not been found yet. However, it can be controlled. Ways to control diabetes are: maintaining blood glucose levels, blood fat levels and weight. Controlling diabetes is very important and should be supervised by a medical doctor. When diabetes is controlled, it will help prevent serious complications such as: infections, kidney damage, eye damage, nerve damage to feet and heart disease.
http://www.mamashealth.com/Diabetes3.asp
gestational diabetes : What it Means for Me and My Baby
What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that starts during pregnancy. If you have diabetes, your body isn't able to use the sugar (glucose) in your blood as well as it should, so the level of sugar in your blood becomes higher than normal.
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women. It usually begins in the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy (between the 24th and 28th weeks). Most often, gestational diabetes goes away after the baby is born.
How can gestational diabetes affect me and my baby?
High sugar levels in your blood can be unhealthy for both you and your baby. If the diabetes isn't treated, your baby may be more likely to have problems at birth. For example, your baby may have a low blood sugar level or jaundice, or your baby may weigh much more than is normal. Gestational diabetes can also affect your health. For instance, if your baby is very large, you may have a more difficult delivery or need a cesarean section.
What can I do if I have gestational diabetes?
You will need to follow a diet suggested by your doctor, exercise regularly and have blood tests to check your blood sugar level. You may also need to take medicine to control your blood sugar level.
What changes should I make in my diet?
Your doctor may ask you to change some of the foods you eat. You may be asked to see a registered dietitian to help you plan your meals. You should avoid eating foods that contain a lot of simple sugar, such as cake, cookies, candy or ice cream. Instead, eat foods that contain natural sugars, like fruits.
If you get hungry between meals, eat foods that are healthy for you, such as raisins, carrot sticks, or a piece of fruit. Whole grain pasta, breads, rice and fruit are good for both you and your baby.
It's also important to eat well-balanced meals. You may need to eat less at each meal, depending on how much weight you gain during your pregnancy. Your doctor or dietitian will talk to you about this.
Why is exercise important?
Your doctor will suggest that you exercise regularly at a level that is safe for you and the baby. Exercise will help keep your blood sugar level normal, and it can also make you feel better. Walking is usually the easiest type of exercise when you are pregnant, but swimming or other exercises you enjoy work just as well. Ask your doctor to recommend some activities that would be safe for you.
If you're not used to exercising, begin by exercising for 5 or 10 minutes every day. As you get stronger, you can increase your exercise time to 30 minutes or more per session. The longer you exercise and the more often you exercise, the better the control of your blood sugar will be.
You do need to be careful about how you exercise. Don't exercise too hard or get too hot while you are exercising. Ask your doctor what would be safe for you. Depending on your age, your pulse shouldn't go higher than 140 to 160 beats per minute during exercise. If you become dizzy, or have back pain or other pain while exercising, stop exercising immediately, and call your doctor. If you have uterine contractions (labor pains, like stomach cramps) or vaginal bleeding, or your water breaks, call your doctor right away.
What tests will I need to have during my pregnancy?
Your doctor will ask you to have regular blood tests to check your blood sugar level. These tests will let your doctor know if your diet and exercise are keeping your blood sugar level normal. A normal blood sugar level is less than 105 mg per dL when you haven't eaten for a number of hours before the test (fasting) and less than 120 mg per dL 2 hours after a meal. If your blood sugar level is regularly higher than these levels, your doctor may ask you to begin taking a medicine called insulin to help lower it.
You may be asked to see a specialist if you have to start taking insulin.
What happens after my baby is born?
You may not need to have blood tests to check your blood sugar while you're in the hospital after your baby is born. However, it may be several weeks after your baby's birth before your gestational diabetes goes away. To make sure it has gone away, your doctor will ask you to have a special blood test one or two months after you have your baby.
Even if the
gestational diabetes goes away after the baby's birth, it makes you have a higher risk for diabetes in your next pregnancy and later in life. That is why it is important that you continue to exercise, watch your weight and eat a healthy diet. If you do these things, you may not get diabetes when you're older.
Copyright © 2000-2006 American Academy of Family Physicians
Diabetes - Symptoms and Cures
Diabetes is of three main types – insulin-dependent diabetes or the Type 1 diabetes, Non-insulin dependent diabetes or the Type 2 diabetes, and
gestational diabetes mellitus. A person’s eating habits and viruses can cause Type 1 diabetes. Heredity, obesity, high blood pressure, and lack of proper diet cause Type 2 diabetes, which is very common.
The gestational diabetes mellitus is caused as a result of heredity, increased maternal age, fatness and more reasons. It may cause the mother to develop permanent diabetes. This characteristic may get transferred to the child at a later age.
There are certain symptoms with the help of which you can detect diabetes. Excessive urination, constant thirst, loss of weight, excessive starvation, nausea, extreme tiredness, infections, irritability and tiredness are some of them.
The importance of insulin comes to light when a person suffers from diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that allows blood sugar or glucose to enter body cells. Diabetes affects a person’s capability to make insulin. Due to diabetes, the glucose remains in the blood itself. This high rate of sugar in the blood may cause harm to your eyes, nerves, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.
Other than heredity reasons, you can easily avoid Type 2 diabetes by following some simple steps. For those people who are overweight, reduce the rate of consuming food. Overweight people have the risk of developing diabetes. Try to consume grilled or baked food instead of fried food. Cut down on fatty meals. While having food, check its Glycemic Index.
While drinking milk, opt for the skimmed milk instead of the full-fat milk. Exercise is a very effective way, which ensures that you stay in a healthy way always.
It is best to cure diabetes before it attacks your health. To cure diabetes, it is important to know its symptoms. Extreme thirst not only after exercise and a stroll in the hot air, but always, is a symptom. Even after drinking water, if you have a dry mouth, if you have to urinate frequently, if you have unexpected weight loss, and you feel lethargic all the time, check with a doctor. It could be a symptom for diabetes.
Blurry vision, slow healing cuts and sores, extreme itching or soreness in the genital or yeast infection can be the other symptoms of diabetes. It is best to cure it before it develops fully and affects your body. By Sharon Albright
Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy
Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. It is one of the top health complications that a woman has to face during pregnancy. Indeed a double curse!If the woman had gestational diabetes during pregnancy then she is most likely to pass it on to the child.
So, if a woman has
gestational diabetes during pregnancy, there is an increased risk of developing diabetes for both mother and child. Timely knowledge about this condition, goes to control it effectively by diet and exercise. After the baby is born, the mother and the child both recoup their original health.One problem gives room for a series of problems. The major risk is the birth of a fat baby.
The condition is known as macrosomia. The baby by birth will have its own problems, the common one being damage to its shoulders during birth.Some basic precautions have to be taken to prevent the risk of gestational diabetes. It is taking recourse to natural methods again! Make it a point to lose weight, if you are overweight. Be careful and choosy about your food, and above all, do exercises regularly.
This type of diabetes is a temporary condition, a passing phase, that occurs during pregnancy.There is another risk for the baby. It may develop breathing problems.The exact causes of the gestational diabetes are not known yet. But there are certain clues and possibilities, why gestational diabetes occurs! It is insulin resistance.The baby, as it grows, is supported by the placenta. Hormones help the baby develop. But the hormones also do a damaging act.
They block the action of the mother’s insulin in her body. The mother’s body finds it hard to use insulin, so her requirement of insulin goes up by 300 % and gestational diabetes is the result!Utmost care is needed to combat gestational diabetes, as it concerns the health of the mother as well as that of the baby. Food choices are of paramount importance.
This will have beneficial effects on the health of your baby’s growth. If you are fit and healthy, the risk of cesarean section birth can also be avoided.In many cases, it has been found that gestational diabetes leads to type II diabetes later.Do exercises regularly even during pregnancy, but only after consulting your doctor. This is the formative period for you as well as for the baby.
Proper exercises provide strength to your body and act favorably for the growth of the baby within.Shut the door on the face of the diabetes, even if it pleads that it is only gestation. This evil does not deserve mercy.
Common Knowledge About Gestational Diabetes
I did not become familiar with gestational diabetes until recently when my sister-in-law and my best friend were both diagnosed with it within a week. Many women I know, myself included, have made it through pregnancies without having any serious problems like gestational diabetes.Basically, gestational diabetes is a disease that can come on during pregnancy but that usually disappears once the baby has been born.
In some women, pregnancy results in their blood sugar levels getting out of balance. A pregnant woman might realize that she is having blood sugar problems on her own or it might take a doctor to determine that her levels are not normal. Regardless of how it is discovered, gestational diabetes is a serious issue that needs to be handled with caution and care throughout a woman's pregnancy and after.
When my sister-in-law and my closest friend were struggling with feeling abnormally up and down during their pregnancies, their doctor took blood tests and determined that their blood sugar levels were being affected by their pregnancies and their food choices. They were both diagnosed simply by having this blood work done.
At first they were hesitant and scared because gestational diabetes sounded huge and they didn't know how relatively simple the treatment process could be.
Gestational diabetes, because it is primarily an imbalance of blood sugar, can often be regulated by changes in diet and levels of exercise. The amount of changes that are necessary are dependant upon how poor of habits the women have to begin with. My sister-in-law and my friend had to make different levels of changes to their diets, but neither had to make such significant changes that their lifestyle was radically altered.
Mostly their changes consisted of going on a low-sugar and low-carb eating plan. Gestational diabetes brings a risk of the baby getting to large during its gestational period and needing to be delivered early or by c-section. The more the pregnant mother cuts down on sugar intake, the less likely it is that the baby will get too large to be delivered vaginally.
If you are pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant in the near future, take some time and learn about ways to prevent gestational diabetes. It is the best for you and your baby. Prevention is always a better option than having to find a solution to high blood sugar levels. Be wise with your food and exercise choices from the start and you should be able to avoid dealing with gestational diabetes in your pregnancies. Talk with your doctor and take every possible precaution. www.articlemap.com
Diabetic Pregnant Women - Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes affects approximately 3 to 5 percent of all pregnant women in the United States. This article addresses issues such as diet, exercise, blood sugar level and general medical care of women with gestational diabetes.
Diabetes is a disease where the body uses food improperly. The body gets its main energy source from glucose or from a breakdown of complex carbohydrates such as starches. Once sugar and starches are digested, they enter the blood stream in the form of glucose. Insulin assists the body in getting the glucose from the blood stream to the muscles and other body tissues. The pancreas is where insulin is manufactured. Glucose cannot get into the body cells without insulin. Instead, glucose accumulates in the blood and is excreted into the urine through the kidneys.
Women with gestational diabetes have plenty of insulin. The problem is that the insulin is partly blocked by hormones made in the placenta. This is called insulin resistance. In women without gestational diabetes, the pancreas makes enough insulin to overcome the insulin resistance. But when the pancreas makes all the insulin it can and it still cannot overcome the effect of the placenta's hormones, that woman has gestational diabetes.
Factors associated with an increased risk of gestational diabetes are obesity, diabetes in the family, a stillbirth, or a child with a birth defect. Studies have shown that women older than 25 are also at greater risk. The Council on Diabetes in Pregnancy recommends that all pregnant women be screened for this disease. One of the most common screening methods is the 50-gram glucose screening test.
The key to preventing complications is control of blood sugar levels immediately after the diagnosis of gestational diabetes. A comforting fact is that
gestational diabetes does not cause birth defects. But many babies are born much larger than average. The baby can grow too large for a vaginal birth and a cesarean section delivery is necessary. In some cases, the baby is born with hypoglycemia. In this case, the baby will be given glucose intravenously. These two examples are manageable and preventable.
The key is careful control of blood sugar levels in the mother immediately after the diagnosis of gestational diabetes.
An important component in caring for gestational diabetes is a strict diet. There is a wide assortment of literature that details dietary guidelines for women with gestational diabetes. Her health care practitioner will teach her how to measure her blood glucose level at home. Additionally, she may have to check her urine for ketones (these are by-products of the breakdown of fat). Ketones may be found in the blood and urine as a result of inadequate insulin.
It is very unlikely that the baby will have diabetes. However, the child may be at risk for Type II diabetes. Other problems such as hypoglycemia and jaundice may also occur.
More than likely, gestational diabetes goes away immediately after delivery. But these women are at risk of developing it in future pregnancies. Make sure to have screening tests during subsequent pregnancies in the first trimester. By Michael Russell
