When a woman gets pregnant, her body changes, we may even see a change in hormone levels and other natural factors that change, for example, the glucose levels. Gestational diabetes is a common condition nowadays. Let us find out more about this type of diabetes, experienced during pregnancy. Also, once diagnosed with gestational diabetes it is important to go for regular screenings at a diabetic hospital in Hyderabad to carry out the entire pregnancy term and deliver the baby safely.
What Is Gestational Diabetes During Pregnancy?
As the name shows, this is the kind of diabetes that affects women at the hour of incubation that is during pregnancy. Pregnancy causes glucose levels to flood in certain women, which prompts gestational diabetes. In certain ladies, the insulin levels may drop during pregnancy making the glucose levels plummet. Glucose levels in the body are typically monitored by the body’s regular insulin levels.
Gestational diabetes can affect women who have typically never had diabetes, and it may get resolved after delivery. Women in their second and third trimesters are increasingly inclined to getting gestational diabetes.
Top Reasons for Gestational Diabetes
Fluctuation in the insulin levels in the body is what may finally lead to gestational diabetes. During the digestion process carbohydrates when eaten is broken down into simple glucose (sugars), the energy produced helps in the proper functioning of the human body. Under typical conditions, the insulin produced in the pancreas can help move the sugar to the cells to avoid sugar spikes.
During pregnancy, a placenta provides oxygen and food from the mother to the developing child. Notwithstanding, alongside its ordinary capacity, the placenta additionally secretes a few more hormones that sometimes meddle with the characteristic hormonal mechanism of the mother’s body. It can disrupt insulin creation, and there is a spike in glucose levels without enough insulin to control it. In this situation, a mother may end up having gestational diabetes.
Another factor that is closely related to gestational diabetes is the weight. If a mother is overweight at the time of pregnancy she may be a contender for gestational diabetes. It is also important to keep your weight in check throughout the entire pregnancy phase to prevent gestational diabetes.
Are you at Risk of Developing Gestational Diabetes?
One out of seven women in India is at the danger of getting diabetes during pregnancy. In any case, a few women are more in danger than the others. Here are a few factors that generally lead to gestational diabetes.
- High BMI:Those who were overweight before pregnancy is more in danger. Most women put on additional weight during pregnancy, and being overweight makes it hard for the body to direct the glucose levels.
- Quick Weight Gain During Pregnancy:While the specific connection between weight gain and gestational diabetes isn’t clear, specialists opine that it is brought about by an increase in insulin resistance by influencing the beta cells in the pancreas which are liable for insulin creation. The limit of the beta cells to emit insulin lessens, prompting gestational diabetes.
- Family Medical History:A family ancestry of type 2 diabetes makes the mother a promising contender for acquiring gestational diabetes in her pregnancy.
- Past Pregnancy History:If you’ve had diabetes in your past pregnancies, specialists hold you under severe cautiousness and screen you for glucose levels consistently as there are greater chances of you suffering from type 2 diabetes later in your life.
- Age:People who are 25 years or more seasoned are at a higher danger of gestational diabetes. More the age, the more are the odds of getting gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
- Other Medical Conditions:Women with PCOS or a background marked by PCOS (polycystic ovary condition) are susceptible to gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes
Here are a few signs and warning signals of gestational diabetes, and if you experience them, ensure you visit a gynecology hospital for proper treatment.
- You may feel thirsty over and over again.
- You may feel a regular urge to visit the bathroom.
- You may start feeling extra tired and lethargic without any reason.
- You may experience dryness in your mouth.
- You may experience blurriness in your vision.
- You may experience frequent infections.
Would I be able to Lower My Chances of Getting Gestational Diabetes?
Even if you fall into the high-risk category of gestational diabetes, you can lower the chances of getting it. Eating right and following an exercise routine can help. Here are a few lifestyle changes to:
- Add more dietary fibers to your food: Eat whole grains, fresh vegetables, and fruits. Just increasing your dietary intake by 10 grams can lessen the danger of gestational diabetes by around 26%.
- Cut out refined sugar: Cut down the intake of processed foods and refined sugar especially those foods that are carb-loaded. Avoid undesirable snacking in between your meals.
- Eat small dinners: Make dinners your smallest meal of all. It is beneficial for better blood glucose control.
- Eat a wide variety of meals: Include an assortment of meals to get a wide range of nutrients on your plate.
- Eat frequent meals: Eating regular meals can keep your blood glucose levels steady instead of eating large meals at one time.
- Include a regular exercise regime: Adding more movement to your daily life can help lessen the danger of diabetes during pregnancy. Swimming and walking are two of the best exercises recommended for pregnant ladies. Consult your doctor before starting any activity levels.
It is important to go for regular screenings to keep a tab on your blood glucose levels. A gestational diabetes test is usually carried on at the 24th and 28th week of the pregnancy. The few of the tests recommended for screening the blood glucose levels are, screening glucose challenge test and oral glucose tolerance test. Gestational diabetes can easily be controlled with the right lifestyle changes. If they are not controlled, your doctor may recommend pregnancy-safe medications to keep it under control.
