Gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus-is diabetes which is diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy.It affects how your cells utilise glucose.Also called: diabetes during pregnancy

In this condition there is  high blood sugar and it affects  pregnant women.

Those women who develop gestational diabetes are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

More than 1 million cases per year (India)

In most cases, there are no symptoms. A blood sugar test during pregnancy is used for diagnosis.A routine ANC  (Antenatal check up)  of  pregnant women at the start  of  pregnancy and  there after  at  regular intervals as  advised by  MD  Gynecologist doctor is  extremely important as  in case if gestational diabetes mellitus is  detected  then  appropriate treatment is advised at the right  time and  undue complications  can  be avoided.

ANC  check up  is  extremely important. Nowadays even  in modern times we find that many pregnant women  visit hospital  directly at the time of delivery and  never go for  ANC check up. Pregnancy complications are  extremely high  in  such cases. There is need to increase the health awareness in such people.

Gestational diabetes can have no symptoms, but people may experience:

excessive hunger, excessive thirst, or fatigue.

Common things  observed  in  gestational diabetes -: fetal macrosomia, frequent urination, or yeast infection .

Treatment consists of diet modifications ,

 daily blood sugar monitoring, a healthy diet, exercise and monitoring the baby by  ultrasound  and  other  things. If blood sugar is too high, medication is  required as  advised  by  physician ( MD General Medicine doctor).

What Causes Gestational Diabetes? Gestational diabetes occurs when your body can’t make enough insulin during your pregnancy. Insulin is a hormone which is  necessary for the  transport  of blood sugar  into cells so  that  they can  utilize  it as a source of  energy .

If untreated, gestational diabetes can cause complications  for your baby, such as premature birth and stillbirth. Gestational diabetes usually goes away after the baby’s born; but if  some woman  has  got  gestational diabetes, then she is  more likely to develop diabetes mellitus  later in life.

There is no relationship at all  between  diet  and  gestational  diabetes. It occurs  because the  pancreas  does not produce enough insulin during  pregnancy.  Even mothers who have had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy may not get it with a later pregnancy.

Plenty of whole fruits and vegetables.

Moderate amounts of lean proteins and healthy fats.

Moderate amounts of whole grains, such as bread, cereal, pasta, and rice, plus starchy vegetables, such as corn and peas.

Fewer foods that have a lot of sugar, such as soft drinks, fruit juices, and pastries.

As water contains no carbohydrate or calories, it is the ideal drink for pregnant women. Studies have also shown that drinking water could help control glucose levels. Drink a large glass of water with every meal and another glass in between meals.

The perfect  time to give birth if you have gestational diabetes is usually around weeks 38 to 40. If your blood sugar is within normal levels and there are no worries  about your or your baby’s health, you may be able to wait for labour to start naturally.

Diabetes affects 1-2% of pregnancies and is a major risk factor for many pregnancy complications. Women with diabetes are around five times more likely to have stillbirths, and three times more likely to have babies that don’t survive beyond their first few months.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) pregnant women are under more psychological stress than normal pregnant women. Research has shown that anxiety and depression are also an important cause of gestational diabetes mellitus .

Following  fruits  should be avoided for a person with diabetes.

…

High sugar fruits

very ripe bananas.

dried dates.

watermelons.

pineapples.

Gestational diabetes can cause  problems for the mother and her  baby after labour and in the long term. If she has  gestational diabetes, she has also a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes at later part of her life.

Weetabix, Bran flakes, All Bran, Shreddies, Shredded Wheat, Granola, No added sugar Muesli, or porridge oats with semi-skimmed, or skimmed milk

How can I lower my gestational diabetes naturally?

Following are the dietary recommendations-

Distribute your foods between three meals and two or three snacks each day.

Eat reasonable portions of starch.

Drink one cup of milk at a time.

Limit fruit portions.

Breakfast matters.

Avoid fruit juice.

Strictly limit sweets and desserts.

Stay away from added sugars.

More items.

The high blood glucose levels of the baby will  result  in  production  of  additional insulin  by the  pancreas  resulting  in  additional transport of  glucose  into the cells and  so  the  women  with untreated  gestational diabetes will  give  birth  to big babies -babies with  birth weight  more  than  normal range.

 Yes, you can.But without  sugar.At periodic intervals blood sugar should be done.

Usually there are no symptoms. Symptoms arise if blood sugar levels go very high.

Some women may develop symptoms if their blood sugar levels gets too high (hyperglycaemia), such as:

increased thirst.

needing to pee more often than usual.

a dry mouth.

tiredness.

polyphagia -increased  hunger

A mom’s diabetes may increase the risk of her child developing neurological disorders such as autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit disorder. Woman who are considering becoming pregnant should see their MD Gynecologist  doctors even before pregnancy, if possible, to help ensure their babies are as healthy.After becoming pregnant ANC(Antenatal check up ) from MD Gynecologist  doctor is  compulsory for women. In ANC  check up besides routine investigations, random blood sugar  is done.

Between 32 – 36 weeks  gestational diabetes worsens due to insulin resistance.

High blood glucose levels during pregnancy can also increase the chance that your baby will be born too early (premature baby),  weigh too much (Overweight  baby) or have breathing problems or low blood glucose right after birth. High blood glucose also can increase the possibility of   miscarriage link or stillborn baby.

Do you gain weight faster with gestational diabetes mellitus ?                                                                                                                                        Weight gain in women with gestational diabetes is less than in control patients .

Treatment for gestational diabetes aims to keep blood glucose levels in  normal  range .The treatment always includes special diabetics  diet and scheduled physical activity, and it may also include periodic  blood glucose testing and insulin injections.

The  only thing that we can let her know that earlier  the diagnosis and treatment of gestational diabetes is  made, the more  better it is and right from the point  when  diagnosis  is  made  the best possible  treatment must be started from  MD  Gynecologist doctor to  reach the  most favourable  prognosis. Gestational diabetes  is  not a problem  but  to  neglect it is a problem.

It is recommended that women with GDM should do both aerobic and resistance exercise at a moderate intensity, a minimum of three times a week for 30-60 min each time. It is beneficial  but at the same time  too much of  physical exercise  is also  not good for the  health of pregnant women so the exact duration of physical exercise should be made clear from your gynecologist  doctor.

 In people with GDM who have well-controlled blood sugar levels with diet and exercise alone labour  induction  should not be done before  39 weeks and expectant management is appropriate up to 40 weeks .Rest is  at the  sole  discretion of the treating  gynecologist depending  on the  underlying  gynecological and  obstetric problems .

People living with diabetes should look to avoid vegetables with a high GI rating, as the body absorbs blood sugar from those foods much quicker compared with low-GI foods. This includes artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, celery, cauliflower, eggplant/aubergine, green beans, lettuce, peppers, snow peas and spinach.

Gestational diabetes can develop in any woman who is pregnant. But women over the age of 25 who are of African, Asian, Hispanic, Native American or Pacific Island descent are at a higher risk. Other factors that may increase your chances of GD include: Heart disease.

Because of their high carbohydrate  content they should be consumed  in  limited  quantity and  periodic blood sugar estimation should be done.

Chocolate Milk. This treat may remind you of the school lunchroom, but it’s a good calcium-rich choice for grown-ups as well. …

Sweet Tea.

Orange Juice.

Chai Latte.

Lemonade.

Hot Chocolate.

Apple Cider.

Energy Drinks.

Milk is a healthy food and provides  calcium and carbohydrates. But too  much amount at a single time should be avoided and periodic blood sugar estimation should be done.  an important source of calcium.

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