Gestational diabetes is also known as gestational diabetes and is a form of diabetes that can only occur during pregnancy. While other forms of diabetes do not go away, gestational diabetes settles in most cases after birth. The reason for pregnancy-related diabetes is that not enough insulin is produced during pregnancy.
This is responsible for regulating the amount of sugar in the body. Sugar is important because it is the only way our body gains energy. Insulin causes sugar that is not needed to be excreted or stored. During pregnancy the hormonal balance gets confused, therefore the production of insulin can be disturbed so that an increased blood sugar level is formed. In this case, we speak of gestational diabetes.
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How Gestational Diabetes Becomes Noticeable
Most women do not notice whether they have gestational diabetes or not. They may feel more tired than usual because of diabetes, have more thirst, or have to go to the toilet more often. Some women also lose a lot of weight due to gestational diabetes. However, certainty can only give a sugar load test, which is usually recommended by the gynecologist between the 23rd and 27th SSW.
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This test can be used to determine the level of sugar in the blood. The woman drinks a sugar solution and thus it can be determined whether the body processes the sugar normally. The risk of gestational diabetes in pregnancy is very high in women who have already suffered from diabetes in a previous pregnancy. Women who have already given birth to large babies one or more times also belong to the risk group. Age also plays a role, as the risk increases with age. In addition, women who are overweight or whose siblings or parents have diabetes are also usually affected by gestational diabetes.
Gestational Diabetes: Dangers For The Baby
Pregnant mothers who suffer from gestational diabetes usually give birth to healthy babies. To ensure that this is also the case for you, it is important that you take it easy during pregnancy and get your diabetes under control. This is the only way to ensure that your baby will not be harmed by diabetes either. The biggest problem with pregnancy-related diabetes is the size of the baby. This is because sugar can enter the baby’s circulation directly through the placenta, and so the baby gains a lot of weight.
Labor and also delivery can be very difficult under these circumstances. Therefore, a cesarean section may be necessary to bring the baby into the world. After birth, the baby can get neonatal jaundice. However, this can be treated very well and also very quickly. However, undiagnosed or untreated gestational diabetes can have late effects on the baby. For example, it can lead to a metabolic disorder in the baby. This only occurs very rarely and also very rarely leads to the death of the baby.
Treatment Of Gestational Diabetes
If gestational diabetes is diagnosed, the pregnant woman will receive detailed advice from her gynecologist on how to keep her sugar levels down. This will include looking at eating habits and trying to change the diet. In most cases, gestational diabetes can be managed through a modified diet plan as well as regular exercise. The diet should contain very few sugary foods.
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To permanently lower blood sugar levels, physical activity, such as swimming, is necessary for at least 30 minutes a day. Just 20 percent of all pregnant women have diabetes so bad that it must be treated with insulin. In this case, the pregnant woman has prescribed insulin, which she must administer herself. A pregnant woman with gestational diabetes is monitored more closely and her pregnancy is considered a high-risk pregnancy. After delivery, a sugar tolerance test is performed to make sure that gestational diabetes has settled.
Usually, it can be determined after only three months that the blood sugar level is back within the normal range. However, these women have a very high risk of developing diabetes later. It is therefore recommended to have a new test for diabetes every two years after delivery. If a pregnant woman already had a very high body weight before and during pregnancy, was prone to obesity (BMI higher than 27) the risk is very high that gestational diabetes will persist.
Diet Plan Gestational Diabetes
To permanently control pregnancy-related diabetes, a change in diet is sufficient in most cases, as well as regular exercise. With a healthy and balanced diet, blood sugar levels can be kept low. With a diet plan, you can get your gestational diabetes under control. A high-fiber diet helps avoid blood sugar fluctuations. You should eat plenty of vegetables, such as lettuce, and also fruits as well as whole grains and also legumes every day. Meat, fish, and eggs as well as dairy products or other low-fat products should also be included in your plan.
If you like to eat bread or pasta, you should go for the whole-grain variety. But rather eat less rice, pasta, potatoes, and bread. You should also completely eliminate sweets or other foods or drinks that are heavily sugared, such as sodas, fruit juices, or even cakes and pies from your diet. If you have problems with the change, a nutritionist can work with you to create a diet plan for your gestational diabetes and give you helpful tips.
