Gestational Diabetes, Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
Last Updated on December 9, 2024 by Robert Dowling
Gestational Diabetes, Symptoms, Causes and Treatments: Gestational diabetes (GD) affects pregnant women when they are unable to produce enough insulin. It’s usually diagnosed in the 24th week of pregnancy and goes away after giving birth to the child. A routine blood test during pregnancy detects its condition, and 50% of women who had gestational diabetes may develop type 2 diabetes in the future.
Useful Facts About Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes affects 2-10% of pregnancies, and hormonal change is the prime cause of this condition. Higher blood sugar levels can cause harm to both mother and baby, so it’s important to control the blood sugar level. Pregnancy hormones sometimes inhibit the function of insulin, thus resulting in gestational diabetes.
Doctors recommend following a healthy diet and staying physically active to avoid complications. Also, you may need to take some medicines to ensure that your blood sugar level remains within a normal range.
During the 24th week, your doctor will suggest a routine glucose tolerance test that clearly shows whether your blood sugar is within limits.
Your doctor will prepare the diet plan according to reports, and it helps you manage the condition efficiently. Managing your blood glucose level lowers risks during pregnancy, ensuring that you give birth to a healthy child.
Prime Causes of Gestational Diabetes
Here are mentioned the main causes of gestational diabetes:
- Pregnant women’s placenta produces hormones, making it difficult to produce insulin. Thus, it increases chances to develop gestational diabetes.
- Pregnant women develop insulin resistance, restricting the normal function of insulin. So, there is an elevated blood sugar level, and you need to seek medical attention.
- Genetic and lifestyle factors also come up as the crucial factors resulting in gestational diabetes. Doctors may carry out a detailed screening of family history to learn whether you are at higher risk.
- Obesity or being overweight is another prime cause of GD, and you need to know how to manage a healthy body weight. It also supports your pregnancy and helps you avoid developing further complications.
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome also leads to this condition, and you must follow your doctor’s instructions, ensuring that you avoid getting GD.
- Lack of physical activity may also lead to this condition, and it’s important to prepare a workout routine. Hence, it becomes easy to stay away from diabetes affecting your pregnancy phase.
- Women who have previously delivered a baby weighing more than 4.1 kg have higher chances of developing gestational diabetes.
- Advanced maternal age is another cause, and thus it’s important to consult a doctor before you conceive. Hence, it becomes easy to give birth to your child exploring the world in a new way.
- High blood pressure may even lead to gestational diabetes, and thus you must do a detailed screening. Also, it’s important to take medicines to keep your blood pressure within a normal range.
So, you get an overview of the causes, and it’s important to consult an expert doctor who will help you stay in good health during pregnancy.
Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes shows several symptoms, which include:
- Dry mouth and increased thirst
- Frequent urination
- Itching in the genitals
- Blurred vision
- Fatigue and nausea
Once you get familiar with the symptoms, you will find it easy to learn whether you are affected.
Basic Lifestyle Changes
Basic changes in your lifestyle help you deal with GD symptoms:
Diet Plan
First, the doctor prepares a diet plan, following which you can deal with the complications. Include more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products in your diet to avoid GD. Cut down foods like candy, soda, sweetened beverages, etc. to avoid consumption of sugar.
Workout Routine
A workout schedule ensures you stay physically active, and pregnancy will become a blessing. Everyday a 30-minute moderate exercise may help you stay away from the complications. Usually, doctors recommend exercises like swimming, cycling, walking, etc.
Monitoring Blood Glucose Level
Get a blood glucose meter to monitor your blood glucose level before meals and at bedtime. It helps you check your sugar level, and you can take necessary precautions. The glucose meter thus makes it easy to learn whether you are affected.
Taking Proper Medicines
Make sure you take proper medicines according to your doctor’s instructions. Usually, doctors prescribe medicines or insulin injections if diet or physical exercises won’t work. Initially, your doctor carries out a thorough examination learning your baby’s position and prescribes medicines accordingly.
So, you can now live a healthier way of life, and diabetes won’t give rise to complications during pregnancy. Close monitoring of your baby is also essential, ensuring that you give birth to your child without confusion. The healthcare provider always checks your baby’s growth, and you may need to get frequent ultrasounds.
Foods to Include in your Diet
Here you get a clear view of foods you must include in your diet to avoid chances of getting gestational diabetes:
Eat Regularly
Avoid skipping meals, and eating regular meals on time helps you maintain proper body weight. Hence, it lowers the risk of gestational diabetes, and you will live a better way of life.
Consume Healthy Fruits and Vegetables
Leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits are packed with antioxidants and are rich in essential nutrients. Try eating 5 portions a day to stay away from gestational diabetes.
Avoid Foods with High Sugar Content
Foods with high sugar content increase your risk of diabetes. So, it’s to switch to healthier snacks such as cakes, biscuits, fruits, nuts, seeds, etc. A complete sugar-free diet is the ultimate option to avoid GD.
Consume Less Starchy and Low Glycaemic index Foods
These foods release sugar slowly, and it helps your body absorb sugar easily. Foods like whole wheat pasta, brown rice, pulses, muesli, beans, bran cereals, etc. are the best options.
Avoid Sugary Beverages
Sugary drinks such as fruit juices, smoothies, etc. release more sugar, and there may be an elevated blood sugar level. It’s time to swap to ‘no added sugar’ drinks, which improve your body’s overall metabolism.
So, you can enjoy your pregnancy, and diabetes won’t give rise to complications. Pregnancy thus becomes a blessing, and you will wait to bring the new life to Earth.
Insulin for Gestational Diabetes
Insulin is highly effective for gestational diabetes, and it’s the best option to control your blood sugar level. Here are mentioned the types of insulin:
Rapid-Acting Insulin
Rapid-acting insulins are effective at reducing your blood sugar level quickly. These insulins are taken before meals, and you will get faster results.
Intermediate-Acting Insulin
These types of insulins are taken once a day, and it takes some time to show results. Gradually, there will be improvements in your sugar level, and you will feel confident enough to give birth.
Now your doctor will suggest your insulin dose, which may increase or decrease over time and helps you deal with gestational diabetes. A tiny pen-like device is used to inject insulin, and it’s completely safe. It delivers a small amount beneath your skin, and quickly it gets into your blood.
However, if your blood sugar level drops rigorously, you may develop symptoms such as shakiness, sweating, hunger, pale skin, etc. So, you must get your blood sugar level screened, ensuring that you take the necessary measures to get your blood glucose level within the normal limit.
How to store insulin?
Unopened insulin bottles are kept in the fridge, and you may store opened bottles at room temperature. Insulin can be stored for up to 28 days and make sure you can easily get the pen when you need to get insulin injected.
Also Read: GlucoTrust Reviews
Time to Give Birth
The ideal time to give birth is between 38-40 weeks. If your blood sugar level is within normal limits, there are no concerns. You can easily wait for your labor to start, and thus it helps you give birth naturally. However, if you were not able to give birth within 4 weeks and 6 days, then doctors suggest induction of labor or a caesarean section.
Sometimes, doctors recommend early delivery if it’s becoming difficult to control your blood glucose level. You must keep checking your sugar level and ensure you are taking medicines properly. Before a caesarean section, doctors will check your blood sugar level and may give medicines to drop it within the normal limit.
Insulin through drip may be inserted into your body, and there will be notable improvements in your sugar level. Finally, you will give birth without complications, and you will explore the real happiness of motherhood.
Post-Birth Follow Up
Once you give birth, you can start feeding your baby, and you will feel ultimate serenity. Doctors suggest starting baby feeding within 30 minutes of birth, and it helps in the baby’s overall growth and development. Frequently feeding your baby (every 2-3 hours) helps in normalizing your body’s sugar level.
Doctors will start testing the sugar level within 4 hours of giving birth, and it lowers the chances of postpartum complications. Medicines you were taking before giving birth may be stopped, and make sure you follow the doctor’s suggestions.
Once your blood sugar level gets to a normal limit, your doctor may advise you to get a blood test annually. Women who have suffered from gestational diabetes may develop Type 2 diabetes in the future and thus an annual screening is required.
