Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy

There are many potential problems involved with pregnancy for both the mother and the child. And, unfortunately some can be serious. Annually, some four percent of American women who become pregnant will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. GD comes about during the late stages of a pregnancy and may be a somewhat frightening diagnosis for the parents to be.

Exactly what triggers gestational diabetes is, for the most part, still a mystery, while there is some connection to pregnancy hormones and the placenta. Whenever your body is incapable of making or utilizing all the insulin it demands, glucose staying in the blood sooner or later progresses to abnormally high levels.

Luckily, gestational diabetes does not usually lead to birth defects or abnormalities. But, it still may cause problems for the infant. When the mother has gestational diabetes during her pregnancy the baby tends to be larger and as a result may suffer shoulder injuries during the delivery. They also may have jaundice, low glucose levels and higher insulin levels than average, in addition to respiration problems. It is generally believed that infants born with high insulin levels are more prone to have problems with obesity.

Gestational diabetes could also be a source of health issues for the mother, as delivering a big baby can be problematic and, in numerous cases, leads to having a Caesarian section. Also, gestational diabetes increases the chance of getting type 2 diabetes somewhere down the road.

The method of keeping gestational diabetes in check is the same as all forms of the disease. Diet modification, physical exercise, and medication. With this form of the disease, treatment is commonly started as soon as the mother is diagnosed. Diet plans are implemented immediately, which include all of the food groups, with emphasis on whole grains and vegetables to assist in the control of blood sugar.

Additionally, a fitness plan of moderate exercise is suggested to assist in controlling gestational diabetes. Exercise conditions the body to burn up the excess glucose without the necessity of additional insulin. The level of physical exertion suggested is based on the mothers exercise habits prior to becoming pregnant because too much of an increase could be dangerous.

Knowing your blood sugar level assists in treating high or low blood sugar before it becomes a problem. It also helps in determining how food and exercise affect your blood sugar level and, if you take insulin, the amount needed.

Women who have gestational diabetes need to know their blood sugar levels at all times. Luckily, this can be known at anytime by utilizing a home blood sugar meter. With this handy device they can know in just a minute or two, what their blood sugar level is.

If a woman has GD or gestational diabetes in one pregnancy there is a good chance that she will have it again with any future ones. But, gestational diabetes typically disappears within a few weeks of the delivery. It is important to remember though that many develop type 1 or type 2 diabetes later on in life.

For more information about diabetes please visit YourDiabetesInfo.com for more great information and articles.

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