Gestational Diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can cause health problems in both mother and child. Managing your diabetes can help protect you and your child.
Gestational diabetes definition and facts
What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. Diabetes means your blood sugar, is very high. Too much glucose in your blood is not good for you and your baby
Gestational diabetes is usually diagnosed at 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. Managing your gestational diabetes can help you and your baby stay healthy. By controlling your blood sugar levels, you can immediately protect your own and your baby’s health.
How does gestational diabetes affect the baby?
High blood glucose levels during pregnancy can cause problems for your baby, such as:
- Premature delivery
- Too much weight can make pairing difficult and can injure your baby
- Having low blood glucose immediately after birth, also known as hypoglycemia
- Problems with breathing
High blood sugar increases the chance of miscarriage or the baby will still be born (killed), meaning that the baby dies during the second half of pregnancy.
Your child may be overweight and will be more likely to develop type 2 diabetes when they grow up.
How can gestational diabetes affect pregnant women?
If you have gestational diabetes, you are more likely to have preeclampsia, which is when you have high blood pressure and you have too much protein in your urine during the second half of pregnancy.
Preeclampsia can cause serious problems for you and your child. The only cure for preeclampsia is to give birth. If you have preeclampsia and have reached 37 weeks of pregnancy, your doctor can expect to give birth to your baby quickly. Before 37 weeks, you and your doctor can consider other options so that the baby is born Before he can be born.
Gestational diabetes increases the likelihood of a cesarean delivery, also known as a C-section, because your baby may be of a very large size.
If you have gestational diabetes, you are likely to develop type 2 diabetes later. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can lead to health problems such as diabetes, retinopathy, heart disease, kidney disease, and nerve damage nerve loss. You can take steps to help prevent or prevent type 2 diabetes.
Causes of Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes occurs when your body cannot meet the need for extra insulin during pregnancy. Insulin, a hormone created by the pancreas, helps to use glucose from energy for energy. Sometimes your body does not make enough insulin or does not use insulin properly, then glucose stays in your blood and does not reach your cells.
During pregnancy, your body makes special hormones and goes through other changes, such as weight gain. Because of these changes, insulin is not used in your body’s cells, which is called insulin resistance. All pregnant women have some insulin resistance during late pregnancy. Most pregnant women can produce enough insulin to overcome insulin resistance, but some cannot. These women develop gestational diabetes.
Being overweight or obese is associated with gestational diabetes. Women who are overweight or obese may already have insulin resistance while pregnant. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can also be a factor.
Having a family history of diabetes makes it more likely that a woman will have gestational diabetes, suggesting that genes play a role.
Tests and diagnosis for gestational diabetes
Testing for gestational diabetes usually occurs between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
If you are likely to develop gestational diabetes, your doctor may test for diabetes on the first visit after you are pregnant.
How do doctors diagnose gestational diabetes?
Doctors use blood tests to test for gestational diabetes. You can have a glucose tolerance test, an oral glucose tolerance test shows how well your body is able to use glucose.
Glucose tolerance test
You may have your first glucose challenge test. Another name for this blood test is the glucose screening test. In this test, a doctor first drinks you sweetened with glucose and a 1-hour blood test is performed. This test does not require fasting. Fasting means that nothing should be eaten except water. If your blood glucose is too high while fasting, 140 or more, then you may need to have an oral glucose tolerance test. If your blood glucose is 200 or more, you may have type 2 diabetes.
Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)
For OGTT you have to fast for at least 8 hours, firstly your blood sample is taken and then you are fed sweet glucose. To diagnose gestational diabetes, a doctor takes you for a blood sample test every 2 to 3 hours.
At the time of any two or more blood tests – fasting, 1 hour, 2 hours, or 3 hours of high blood sugar levels – this means that you have gestational diabetes. Your doctor will tell you the results of your OGTT.
Treatment and management of gestational diabetes
Many women in gestational diabetes can manage their blood sugar levels by following a healthy eating plan and becoming physically active. Some women may also require diabetes medication.
Follow a healthy eating plan
Your doctor will help you make a healthy eating plan with food choices that are good for you and your child. This plan will help you know which foods to eat, how much to eat and when to eat it. All are important in keeping your blood sugar level within a certain range.
Be physically active
Physical activity can help you reach a fixed glucose level. If your blood pressure or cholesterol levels are very high, then being physically active can help you reach healthy levels. Physical activity also removes stress, strengthens your heart and bones, can improve muscle strength, and can make your joints flexible by being physically active and likely to have type 2 diabetes in the future Will be reduced.
During your pregnancy, talk to your doctor about what is best in your activities. Aim for 30 minutes of activity for 5 days a week, even if you are not active before your pregnancy. If you are already active, tell your doctor what you do. Ask your doctor if you can continue some high-intensity activities, such as lifting weights or jogging.
How do I know if my blood sugar level is on target?
Your doctor may ask you to use a blood glucose meter to check blood sugar levels. This device uses a small drop of blood from your finger to measure your blood glucose level. Your health care team will tell you how to use a glucose meter.
Glucose for most women in gestational diabetes is given below.
Before meals, at bedtime and overnight:
- 95 or less
- 1 hour after a meal: 140 or less
- 2 hours after meals: 120 or less
Treatment of gestational diabetes if diet and physical activity are not enough?
If you do not have blood sugar control after a change of diet and even after being physically active, you may need insulin.
If you need to use insulin, your health care team shows you how you should take insulin shots. Insulin will not harm your child and is usually the first choice of diabetes medication for gestational diabetes. Talk to your doctor about what treatment is right for you.
Preventing Gestational Diabetes
You are more likely to develop gestational diabetes if you:
- Overweight
- Had gestational diabetes before
- Have parents, brothers or sisters with type 2 diabetes
- Your blood sugar level is higher than normal for the diagnosis of diabetes
- There is a hormonal disorder called polycystic ovary syndrome, Also known as PCOS
How can I reduce the chance of developing gestational diabetes?
If you are thinking about becoming pregnant and are overweight, you can reduce your chances of gestational diabetes by losing excess weight and increasing physical activity before becoming pregnant. If you do these two things, then insulin is used in your body and your blood sugar level helps in staying normal.
When you are pregnant, do not try to lose weight. In order for your baby to be healthy, you need to gain some weight. However, rapid weight gain can increase your chances of developing gestational diabetes. Ask your doctor how much weight and physical activity is right for you during pregnancy.
What do to after delivery in gestational diabetes?
After I have children, how can I find out if I have diabetes?
You should be tested for diabetes after 12 weeks of your child’s birth. If your blood sugar is still high, you may have type 2 diabetes. Even if your blood glucose is normal, there is a huge possibility of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Therefore, you should be tested for diabetes every 3 years.
How can I prevent or delay type 2 diabetes later?
There is a lot you can do to prevent or delay type 2 diabetes. If you had gestational diabetes, then you should take these steps:
- Be more active and eat healthy to get back to healthy weight
- Breastfeeding your baby gives it the right balance of nutrients and helps you burn calories.
- If your test results suggest that you may have diabetes and are overweight, ask your doctor what you can do to lose weight.
How can I make my child healthy?
- Being physically active
- Limited time to watch TV, play video games or use a mobile device or computer
- Eating healthy
- Stay at a healthy weight
Making healthy plans helps the whole family and can prevent your child from becoming obese or having diabetes later in life.