Signs gestational diabetes | Mombabykids.com
Gestational Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Gestational diabetes, a kind of glucose intolerance that can impact the health of both the mother and the unborn child, affects about 10% of pregnant women in the US. In addition to being widespread, gestational diabetes has become more common in the last 20 years.
An expecting mother may be alarmed by the diagnosis, but if it is detected early, it can be successfully treated without leading to long-term health issues.
Gestational diabetes: what is it?
Women only develop gestational diabetes mellitus during pregnancy. The placenta, which provides the fetus with water and nourishment, is thought to create hormones that prevent the mother from using insulin as intended, however the precise mechanism is unknown. The hormone insulin is necessary for the body to transform glucose, or sugar, into energy that the cells can utilize.
The placenta expands and generates more and more of these hormones as the pregnancy progresses, which causes glucose to accumulate in the blood instead of being used by the cells of the mother and fetus.
For whom is gestational diabetes at risk?
Among the factors are:- Women with a history of gestational diabetes
- Obese women
- Women who have diabetes or prediabetes in their family
- Approximately 90% of expectant mothers have at least one diabetes risk factor, however some are more significant than others.
For whom should a gestational diabetes test be performed?
Typically, an oral glucose tolerance test is used between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy. About two hours after the pregnant lady consumes 75 grams of a sweet solution, blood samples are taken to check her blood sugar levels.
As early as feasible, usually during the first trimester, testing should be performed on pregnant women who belong to a high-risk category.
What is the treatment for gestational diabetes?
Preventing the fetus from becoming too big, which might be harmful to both the mother and the unborn child, is the major objective of therapy. Patients will need to learn how to keep an eye on their blood sugar levels and modify their eating habits. In certain situations, a patient could have to take oral medicine or self-administer insulin injections.
Dietary changes are frequently the most beneficial. Some suggestions may be:
- Steer clear of high-sugar snacks and sweets, such as full-fat ice cream, soda, punch, candy, chips, cookies, and cakes.
- Consuming five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day
- Consuming entire grains, such as brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and whole wheat bread
- Making the switch to low-fat or fat-free dairy products
- Consuming minimal quantities of red meat
- After birth, gestational diabetes often resolves.
What dangers exist for both mom and baby?
Pregnant women who have gestational diabetes are more likely to experience preeclampsia (hypertension), labor issues, and cesarean birth. If the baby weighs more than nine pounds at birth, the mother may sustain injuries during a vaginal delivery. A extremely big baby may be delivered with nerve damage or fractured bones. The infant might need to be delivered by cesarean section.In addition, the youngster has a higher chance of acquiring diabetes, obesity, and metabolic issues in the future. The risk of type 2 diabetes later in life is also higher for mothers who have had gestational diabetes.
What are the labor and delivery risks?
The ideal timing to give birth is between 39 and 40 weeks, if the patient can maintain blood sugar levels near normal and has no additional issues.During childbirth, elevated blood glucose levels can lead to problems for the unborn child, such as chemical imbalances. However, hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, in the newborn just after delivery is one of the biggest worries. This happens when elevated blood sugar levels in the mother cause the fetus's circulation to surge with insulin.
The infant still has a high insulin level after delivery, but it does not have the mother's high blood sugar levels. Because of this, the newborn's blood sugar becomes too low, and intravenous glucose may be required.
Blood glucose is routinely monitored during childbirth to prevent this. In order to avoid the baby's blood sugar from falling too much after birth, insulin may be administered to keep the mother's blood sugar within a normal range.
After giving birth, blood glucose levels usually recover to normal for most women. Patients should, however, retake the glucose test around six weeks after giving birth. This is to make sure type 2 diabetes doesn't persist.
