Gestational diabetes acquires at some stage in pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is the reason of becoming the blood sugar content in high level affecting the pregnancy as well as the health condition of the baby inside the womb. However, mothers-to-be may able to manage gestational diabetes by having healthy diet, doing physical activities regularly and medication, if only required. Healthy pregnancy can be obtained by taking good care of yourself thus making also the baby healthy.
In cases of gestational diabetes, blood sugar normally returns to usual level shortly after delivery. However, gestational diabetes usually develops into type II diabetes in the future. Continue monitoring of the blood sugar level can be very helpful in dealing with it.
What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?
Most of the women, gestational diabetes does not show any signs and symptoms. It is only seldom that expectant mother with gestational diabetes may experience extreme thirst and increased urination. If you plan of getting pregnant, seek medical care for the doctor to assess if you have possibility of acquiring gestational diabetes. If in case, you develop gestational diabetes, a regular checkup should be done to cautiously monitor the blood sugar level as well as the health of your baby.
After giving birth, your blood sugar level should be check if it has returned to normal level. The test will be repeated after 6 weeks of giving birth.
What are the causes of gestational diabetes?
Unfortunately, the real reasons behind of gestational diabetes for some women are not yet known. The only explanation is that during pregnancy, there are varieties of hormones that your body is being produced. Most of these hormones damage the action of insulin in your cells leading the enhancement of the blood sugar level. This continues as the baby inside your womb grows since the placenta produces more and more hormones that used to block insulin thus can affect the development and welfare of your baby. Gestational diabetes normally develops during the end half of pregnancy but there are at times in the early of 20th week.
What is the risk factors affecting gestational diabetes?
Every woman can acquire gestational diabetes but there are some that have greater possibility of having gestational diabetes. The risk factors affecting gestational diabetes may include the following.
- Women with more than 25 years of age have more possibility of acquiring gestational diabetes.
- Women who have prediabetes or any of the family members have type 2 diabetes have greater risk of developing gestational diabetes. Women who have develop gestational diabetes during the previous pregnancy or if the baby being delivered weighed more than 9 pounds or 4.1 kilograms.
- Obese women or have an excessive weight with a body mass index of 30 or more have increased possibility of developing gestational diabetes.
- Women who are black, American Indian, Hispanic or Asian are having greater possibility of having gestational diabetes. The reason behind this is not yet clear.
What are the treatments of gestational diabetes?
It is very important to check and control your blood sugar level to maintain the baby in good shape and to prevent any complications during your pregnancy and delivery. The treatment plans may include the following.
1.    Checking closely of the blood sugar level.
During your pregnancy, your doctor may ask you to monitor your blood sugar level four to five times a day. You have to check it first thing in the morning and after having meals. This may be not convenient and hard on your part but practice will make you used into it. In testing your blood sugar level, you get a drop of blood from your finger by means of a small needle then place the blood on a test strip being inserted into the blood glucose meter. Throughout the labor and delivery, your blood sugar level will also closely monitor. After giving birth, blood sugar level still need of proper monitoring since it can cause greater risk of developing type II diabetes.
2.    Healthy eating habit.
Intake of the right kinds and amount of food is one of the best ways to manage your blood sugar level. Health care providers do not recommend of losing weight during pregnancy since your body is functioning hard to sustain the development of your baby. Eating of healthy foods can greatly help to avoid gaining weight that can lead to increased risk of complications. Healthy foods are foods that are rich in nutrition and fiber and low in fat and calories content like fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
3.    Regular exercise.
Regular exercise has a key part in each woman’s health plan, prior to, throughout and after pregnancy. Exercise or physical activity tends to lower your blood sugar level by stimulating your body to progress the glucose into the cells to make use of it for energy. It also helps your body to reduce the amount of insulin production to transfer the sugar. Regular exercise can also help to ease some of the pain due to pregnancy like muscle pain, back pain, constipation and difficulty in sleeping. But make sure to ask your doctor if exercise is good for you especially during the first stages of your pregnancy.
4.    Intake of medication.
Some expectant mother with gestational diabetes needs the injection of insulin to reduce blood sugar level if diet and exercise does not work. Some of the doctors may advise to take oral medication to control blood sugar but some doctors may recommend injectable insulin for they believe that it is more effective and safe.
5.    Close observation of your baby.
The essential part of the treatment is the close monitoring of your baby. Your doctor may closely observe the growth and development of your baby with frequent ultrasounds and test to ensure the safety and good health of the baby.
6.    Breast-feeding the baby.
If possible, it is important to breastfeed your baby. It may help you to attain your weight goal after giving birth and it also help you to keep away from developing later on of type II diabetes.
Gestational diabetes may be controllable if these entire treatment plans can be followed. Consult your doctor immediately after knowing of your pregnancy to ensure the safety and health condition of you and your baby as well.