Related Articles 1 day ago 1 day ago 1 day ago Many of you may have heard of, or even developed, Gestational Diabetes during your pregnancy.For those who are unclear about this topic or simply would like more information; the following article touches on the the risk factors, symptoms, treatment, complications, and prevention of gestational diabetes. During pregnancy, usually around the 24th week, many women develop gestational diabetes. A diagnosis of gestational diabetes doesn’t mean that you had diabetes before you conceived, or that you will have diabetes after giving birth. But it’s important to follow your doctor’s advice regarding blood sugar levels both when planning and during your pregnancy, so you and your baby both remain healthy. In normal conditions, your body is able to break down sugar easily with the help of hormones in the intestine. But with gestational diabetes, the intestine and stomach are unable to digest the sugar molecule called glucose. Glucose is the majorsource of energy in the body. The pancreas excretes insulin which helps in removing extra sugar from your blood. Gestational diabetes develops when the body doesn’t produce the proper amount of insulin or if cells don’t utilize it properly, resulting in an increased blood sugar level. In cases of severe gestational diabetes, a weekly or daily glucose level test is advised. If these treatments prove ineffective, then insulin injections are recommended by the doctors to control the blood sugar level in the diabetic mother. Complications If the disease of gestational diabetes is left untreated or is not properly controlled, the baby can develop certain complications including Macrosomia, jaundice, respiratory distress syndrome, death after 28 weeks of pregnancy or in infancy. Prevention Even though there is no proof that we can 100% prevent a pregnant woman from developing gestational diabetes there is a proven way to help the possibility of preventing it or once diagnosed with it helpmaintain it and even in some cases reverse it. Eat a healthy diet, do not let junk food take over your pregnancy. It is fine to splurge a little but overall you must eat healthy 99% of the time and when you do crave the junk it will most likely balance out more than if you were eating whatever and whenever. Like any person with diabetes a pregnant woman should be eating up to 6 times a day and those should be small portions. This balances out the sugar levels that helps maintain that hunger we all tend to get certain times of the day or evening. By making smart food choices in the beginning of your pregnancy can help to prevent gestational diabetes. Exercise regularly, this doesn’t mean you should go out and run a marathon. Taking evening walks after dinner is good, keeps your blood circulating and your cardio can get a work out as well. Getting enough rest and eating healthy along with some exercises while pregnant is always good for you and your baby and gives you a better chance ofpreventing this type of diabetes. Risk Factors Obesity, especially women who are older than 25 and overweight Family history of diabetes or prior experience of this disease in past pregnancies Women who delivered an unusually large and healthy baby or a baby born with birth defects in the past An excess amount of amniotic fluid Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) Ethnicity – women of African or Hispanic origin, and women from South Asia have an increased risk Symptoms It is very essential to pay attention to gestational diabetes symptoms during pregnancy. Following are the top five gestational diabetes symptoms: Weight loss – women with gestational diabetes can suffer sudden weight loss. This kind of sudden weight loss can make the woman prone to other diseases as well. Blurred vision – high sugar levels in the blood effects the eyesight directly. Frequent urinating – during pregnancy frequent urination is another gestational diabetes symptom. Thirst and hunger – in spite of largemeals a gestational diabetic woman feels hunger often. Moreover if your gestational diabetic then you should drink at least 8 glasses of water every day to keep your body hydrated. Exasperation and irritation – so beware because crankiness can lead to this deadly problem. Treatment A balanced diet devoid of sweets is prescribed to the diabetic mother to keep the sugar level in the normal range. The diabetic mother should exercise at least 3 or 4 days a week to maintain the sugar level in the body by burning excess fat. Balanced food and exercises can help in maintaining the normal pregnancy weight gain which is vital for treating gestational diabetes.

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