Gestational Diabetes takes place during pregnancy, which results in a spike in blood sugar levels. Approximately 14% of women in the US suffer from gestational diabetes every year. The chances of this condition increase during the 24th week of pregnancy. It increases the complications for the mother and the baby during pregnancy as well as delivery.
Gestational diabetes can be classified into two classes- A1 and A2. A1 is reversible and can be controlled if you consult a gestational diabetes dietician near me. A2 can’t be reversed with diet or exercise. Therefore, you have to take insulin or other medications after a doctor’s consultation. Developing the condition won’t cause diabetes for the rest of your life. However, you might be at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Besides, it can affect the newborn’s health.
Symptoms
Ideally, gestational diabetes pregnancy doesn’t show any symptoms, but a test for the same can figure out if you have any risk factors. The symptoms are mild
- Fatigue– Women suffering from this condition feel fatigued throughout the day without any reason. Lookout for this mild symptom.
- Excessive thirst– Even normal people having diabetes feel the sudden urge of drinking water, and this is not an exception.
- Frequent urge to urinate– Another common symptom seen in people with diabetes. The same thing happens in women with gestational diabetes.
- Poor vision– Bad or blurry vision is yet another sign of this condition and should not be ignored.
- Yeast infection– People suffering from gestational diabetes are more prone to infections, especially yeast infections.
Causes
Like other diabetic conditions, gestational diabetes occurs as your body fails to produce the required insulin levels, especially during pregnancy. Also, pregnancy brings a lot of changes in a woman’s body, including poor functioning of hormone levels. Human placental lactogen and other hormones increase during this time, which leads to insulin resistance.
Although these hormones are necessary for supporting your pregnancy, with time the levels rise beyond control. As a result, your body becomes resistant to insulin. Moreover, during pregnancy, women become insulin resistant so that the baby gets a constant supply of glucose. However, too much resistance can lead to an abnormal rise in insulin levels leading to gestational diabetes.
Risk factors
Various reasons lead to gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Here are a few significant reasons.
- Being overweight before pregnancy.
- Having margin glucose levels, which is also known as a pre-diabetic condition.
- Family history of diabetes.
- PCOS or other similar conditions linked to insulin resistance.
- Had a miscarriage before.
- Older than 25.
Control measures
Not all human bodies are the same. Therefore, the treatment method varies too. The best way to control gestational diabetes is to consult a good gestational diabetes dietician in Mumbai. A dietician will prepare a healthy diet plan depending on your prenatal and postnatal condition. You will also learn about easy techniques to control blood sugar levels. Exercise is also an effective way of controlling blood sugar levels. Consult your dietician and doctor to check if you can regularly indulge in a moderate-intensity workout like swimming, walking, or even yoga for 30 minutes.
Final words
Gestational diabetes doesn’t take place often and can be controlled with proper measures. Regular glucose level monitoring, insulin injections (if needed), proper diet, and exercise can keep everything under control. In most cases, the glucose levels go back to normal after delivery.