Gestational diabetes is actually pregnancy-induced diabetes due to the flood of pregnancy hormones and drastic changes in women’s bodies. Signs of gestational diabetes are the same as diabetes mellitus without pregnancy. Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the blood glucose level is raised when the pancreas functions left no more. The random glucose level in pregnant women is greater than 200mg/dl, and fasting glucose level is greater than 126mg/dl in gestational diabetes mellitus.
Gestational diabetes is a very common problem during pregnancy in predisposed women or positive family history, over 204 million women suffering from it. Gestational diabetes mellitus is a severe and life-threatening condition for both mother and baby. In some women, it goes away as the pregnancy is over and in some women, it leads to chronic kidney disease in the future.
Therefore, it should be diagnosed early, and treat promptly to save the child’s life in the future.
Risk Factors For Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Some factors are responsible for the gestational diabetes mellitus, in those who are susceptible to these symptoms. They include
- Family History positive
- Age greater than 25 years
- Excess weight
- Hypertensive women
- Poor Dietary history
- Nonwhite race
- Gestational diabetes history in a previous pregnancy
- Thyroid gland abnormality
- Adrenal insufficiency
- Heart disease
Symptoms of gestational diabetes mellitus
There are no visible changes are seen in women’s bodies due to gestational diabetes. Therefore, it is the most neglected and undiagnosed disease during pregnancy. But some general symptoms appear when blood glucose is raised. They include
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Lethargy
- Polyuria
- Polydipsia
- Unusual thirst
- Polyphagia
- Nausea
- Frequent infections
These symptoms are also present in normal pregnancy, therefore it is more neglected during pregnancy.
Signs Of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
In most of the pregnant women, gestational diabetes doesn’t produce any characteristics signs. Therefore, women should regularly monitor their blood glucose level to check any fluctuations.
How Gestational diabetes occurs? And What are the causes?
Insulin requirements are high during normal pregnancy, but in GDM women these requirements are not met sufficiently. GDM women’s pancreas doesn’t produce sufficient insulin responses to nutrients. Additional requirements during pregnancy are not met, in case of gestational diabetes mellitus because of the fluctuations in the pregnancy hormones. These pregnancy hormones change the way of your body to utilize the insulin with efficiency and to maintain the normal blood glucose levels during the pregnancy. So the main causes of gestational diabetes are summarized as
- Deficient or absence of insulin hormone
- Resistance to the insulin hormone
- Pregnancy hormonal changes
Complications Of Gestational Diabetes
Managing blood glucose levels during pregnancy is very important for mother and baby health. In some women, diabetes is controlled with a good diet and physical activities. In some women, insulin injection is needed to lower the blood glucose level otherwise, it may lead to some complications such as
- High birth weight than the normal
- Having a C-section
- Neonatal hypoglycemia
- Baby has a high risk of being a heavyweight
- Perinatal death
REGULARLY GLUCOSE MONITORING
Women with gestational diabetes or without, should monitor their blood glucose level regularly, especially during the third trimester. Use glucometer to measure your blood glucose before the meal or after the meal. Monitor your glucose level four times a day, if you are susceptible to gestational diabetes mellitus…
If you are taking insulin therapy for gestational diabetes, always keep snacks with you to prevent hypoglycemia. Maintain your meal timing and snack timing. Daily exercises of 30 minutes are considered ideal for diabetics patients but it should be less extraneous. Diet must have carbs, proteins less, and fats ( having less cholesterol). Drink adequate amount of fluids to prevent dehydration.
HP Thoughts: You have to take care of yourself despite this ailment appearing as a “normal occurrence” during pregnancy! Learn what food to eat to keep you healthy and strong — Gestational Diabetes Diet.
