Ensure a healthy pregnancy even when diabetes strikes!

May 12
18:44

2021

Reeta Menon

Reeta Menon

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Gestational Diabetes Symptoms, Risks Factors and Causes

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Diabetes can affect a person's life in many ways,Ensure a healthy pregnancy even when diabetes strikes! Articles be it dietary changes, lifestyle changes or even other health complications. It is a disease that is considered to need lifelong management. But did you know it can affect you temporarily as well? One of the early signs of diabetes is fluctuating blood sugar levels, but these blood sugar levels can fluctuate temporarily, during pregnancy. Known as gestational diabetes, it is similar to normal diabetes and also has two types- A1 and A2. With the help of dietary and lifestyle changes, A1 gestational diabetes can be controlled. Whereas A2 gestational diabetes is quite severe and needs insulin dosage in some cases. Gestational diabetes condition only persists during the pregnancy but it also carries a risk that you can pass on type 2 diabetes to your newborn. The chances of this happening are very low but not zero, hence, you should look for common gestational diabetes symptoms which are as follows:

  • Frequent thirst
  • Frequent hunger
  • Frequent urination

Diabetes and pregnancy can be very challenging to manage, therefore you must keep your blood sugar levels in check. During pregnancy your body goes through a lot of hormonal changes, this can cause excess glucose to get built up in the bloodstream. In a normal situation, your pancreas would deal with this excess glucose but during gestational diabetes, it fails to do so.

If you experience any gestational diabetes symptoms, please contact your gynecologist immediately. Depending on the severity of your condition, your doctor would suggest some tests to determine if it's gestational diabetes or not. Gestational diabetes usually occurs between week 24 and 28, depending on your gestational diabetes symptoms. A glucose screening test is the most common test suggested by doctors for gestational diabetes. If the results of the screening test are unclear, your doctor may also suggest an oral glucose tolerance test. A glucose tolerance test will give accurate results of your blood sugar levels during meal intervals. If the results of both tests indicate irregular blood sugar levels, you may have gestational diabetes. 

Gestational diabetes management 

Consulting your doctor right away is the best way to deal with gestational diabetes. Apart from your doctor's suggestions, we've put down a few points to ensure a healthy delivery. 

  • At least 3-4 times a day check your blood sugar levels.
  • Healthy diet = Healthy delivery! Make sure you consume a proper healthy diet and avoid artificial sugary snacks to keep your blood sugar levels stable. Work out a plan with the doctor to ensure you're getting adequate nutrition for the baby's development. Increase your intake of natural foods such as fruits, carrots and raisins.
  • 30 minutes of moderate activity every day can also help to keep your blood sugar levels in control. Exercises like walking, swimming and cycling are the best way to deal with gestational diabetes. 

Make sure you note down your weight and your baby’s development throughout the pregnancy. If your gestational diabetes symptoms are severe, please consult your doctor for the right amount of insulin dosage. To avoid any pregnancy complications, do not forget to note down blood sugar levels regularly.  

You can undertake certain steps to manage diabetes and pregnancy. Right guidance and lifestyle changes can go a long way to deal with gestational diabetes. Make sure you consult a doctor as soon as possible if you experience any gestational diabetes symptoms for all the necessary guidance.