Diabetes vs pregnancy

Diabetes causes major problems during pregnancy. Uncontrolled diabetes during the pregnancy phase can affect the baby inside the womb. It may cause birth defects, premature birth, or even miscarriages. Women with diabetes before pregnancy had to consult the doctor before conception and try to control diabetes. Most women suffer from diabetes during the second and third trimesters especially, there are a lot of reasons for getting diabetes during pregnancy. Let’s know more about diabetes during pregnancy and how it affects the pregnancy.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when the blood sugar or blood glucose level increases. The food we eat is broken into particles, the sugar content is released in the blood, it signals the pancreases to release the insulin. This insulin sends the blood sugar to the various parts of the body for energy. When the blood sugar level increases and no sufficient insulin to convert the sugar into energy, the sugar remains in the blood. When there is high sugar content in the blood it is called diabetes and it causes major illnesses like heart disease, kidney problems, vision blur.

What is gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a diabetes disease that occurs only during pregnancy. During the pregnancy, if you have diabetes then it is called gestational diabetes. When the blood sugar level is high in your blood and the same blood is shared with your baby then diabetes for sure affects your baby. When a high-level sugar bloodstream is shared with the baby the pancreas works hard in producing more insulin so it absorbs more calories and then baby weight increases very soon. And this leads to health complications for the baby. Once the baby gets delivered it uses its own blood for functioning than with the medicines this can be cured for the baby and the mother.

How does diabetes affects the baby during pregnancy?

Gestational diabetes should be controlled or else it will affect the baby very worse. High blood sugar levels during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage or baby death inside the womb after the second trimester.

After 8 weeks of pregnancy, the baby’s internal organs like brain, heart, lungs, and kidney starts to form and grow faster at that time if there is high blood sugar for baby means it may cause birth defects for the baby, improper heart functioning, kidney failure, disability.

Gestational diabetes also leads to premature baby birth or early labour. It increases the baby's weight and leads to C- section also. Due to the high baby weight, the baby may get breathing problems also. A mother with gestational diabetes once gets her baby delivered her baby's glucose level may suddenly decrease and this causes an emergency. So even after the delivery, the baby is monitored until everything gets normal.

Diabetes before pregnancy

When a woman is having diabetes before conception should completely control her blood sugar levels before planning for pregnancy. Controlling diabetes before pregnancy is safer if not she might have faced more difficulties and created risk for the baby. High diabetic women have a high risk of miscarriage. Get pre-conception counselling talk to your health care provider and take measures to control your diabetes and then plan for a baby. Even after conception monitor your sugar levels often.

Gestational diabetes treatment

During pregnancy, every gynaecologist checks for the blood sugar levels to confirm whether the mother is having gestational diabetes. Some get diabetes in the initial phase of pregnancy and for some in the second phase of the pregnancy, so it is better to check often your blood sugar levels.

In the initial stage of gestational diabetes, it can be controlled with a change in the food pattern, physical activity, and medications. If the diabetes is not controlled then insulin is injected into the mother. In some cases, till the labour insulin is given to the mother. Once after the delivery, the mother has more chance of getting type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes can be controlled by reducing weight, maintaining diet, and doing exercises.

Causes of gestational diabetes

There are many causes of gestational diabetes, they are

• ·        Overweight before conception can cause diabetes during pregnancy
• ·        Women with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has more chance of getting diabetes during pregnancy
• ·        Genetics can also be the reason for gestational diabetes
• ·        When there is a lack of physical activity can cause diabetes during pregnancy
• ·        Previous delivery with high birth weight

Diet and exercise for gestational diabetic mothers

Mothers with gestational diabetes should have a balanced diet throughout the entire pregnancy. Eat small portions and avoid eating too much at a time. Three small meals and three snacks can be better. Include high fibre content foods, protein-rich foods, low calorie, and low-fat foods. Drink plenty of water during pregnancy water helps is stabilize the sugar levels. Add fresh vegetables and fresh fruits. Avoid sugary foods, junk and processed foods. Do not intake oily foods. Consult a dietician and get a complete pregnancy meal plan to prevent or control gestational diabetes.

Must Read: Healthy foods during pregnancy

Walking during the pregnancy is the best way to keep you active. Do stretches, pelvic bone exercises, yoga is most recommended during pregnancy.

Diabetes has to be prevented, controlled, and monitored during pregnancy to have a healthy baby. Consult the diabetic care experts and stay away from gestational diabetes.

Happy parenting!!!