Gestational diabetes:
Gestational diabetes or GD is a condition in which glucose level is high during pregnancy and mostly disappears after baby birth. Normally it can present at any stage of pregnancy, but mostly common in second or third duration of pregnancy.
It is actually develop because body does not produce enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone which is used to lower the blood glucose level .Gestational diabetes cause many complications for mother health and in fetus health during the time of pregnancy and sometimes after birth. But their side effect can be lower if it diagnosis earlier and well managed. Poor quality diet, obese, less physical active are major contributor of gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Eating sugar or sugar products doesn’t cause it .it’s a wrong concept actually gestational diabetes is hormonal problems by which pancreas not produce enough insulin to lower the blood sugar level and cause problems.
Causes of gestational diabetes
Pregnant women who not able to make enough insulin during their pregnancy then they develop GD.
Women who are overweight or obese are more chance to develop gestational diabetes because these women have resistance against insulin .so overweight women have more chances to get gestational diabetes.
Some hormonal issues also cause gestational diabetes in women during pregnancy. Because if hormonal issue occurs then it disturb the function of pancreas which produce insulin for the glucose regulation .by this hormonal issues insulin not produce and cause high sugar level during late pregnancy.
In some female gene also play a role in developing gestational diabetes. Because the female belong to family in which their other female have already developed gestational diabetes then chance to develop in next generation is increased.
The women which are nor physically active during pregnancy or before the pregnancy they have more chance to develop gestational diabetes.
In some cases life style or diet in take play Very important role to develop gestational diabetes.
Women which suffer from anxiety and depression are more chances to develop gestational diabetes then mentally relax women.
Lack of sleep is also risk for developing gestational diabetes. Women whose sleeping cycle is disturb they have more chance to develop diabetes during pregnancy.
Mostly gestational diabetes develop in last duration of pregnancy because of being overweight .hence when body weight is too much then body can’t produce enough insulin for lower the blood glucose level and have chances to develop gestational diabetes.
Hormone involves in gestational diabetes:
- Estrogen and progesterone.
- Stress hormone name is cortisol.
- Growth Hormone.
- Placental insulin Hormone that Hormone which cause inactive the insulin and hence insulin not work well and blood glucose level increased and cause gestational diabetes. As placenta grow it produces more insulin resistance .to overcome this resistance pancreas try to make more and more insulin to overcome this effect and reduce resistance produce by it .but pancreas not produce enough insulin against it and hence cause blood sugar level to high and develop gestational diabetes by this hormones.
- Human Placental lactogenic that Hormone help in the breakdown of fat and provide energy to baby.
Factors are following which increase the risk of gestational diabetes in women:
- A women which already has diabetes or prediabetes women which have already high blood sugar level but not too much to be called as diabetic.
- Hypertension or high blood pressure major contributor to develop gestational diabetes.
- Age more than 25 women have more chance to develop gestational diabetes.
- Family history.
- Previous miscarriage.
- Women belong to Asia, America, India, Pacific have more chance to develop gestational diabetes.
- Family history of type 2 diabetes have more chance.
- Hormonal problems such as polycystic ovarian syndrome female have more chance to develop gestational diabetes.
- Women which already have birth defects have more chance to get gestational diabetes.
Symptoms of gestational diabetes:
- Vision issues occur such as Blurred Vision.
- Infections of yeast occur.
- Vomiting.
- Nausea.
- Tiredness and fatigue.
- Increased urination.
- Thirst also increased.
- Normally in pregnant women GD have no proper symptoms so for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes proper test are required.
- Screening test are required for the proper diagnose of gestational diabetes.
Warning signs of gestational diabetes:
- Skin infections.
- Vaginal infections.
- Bladder infections.
- Increased thirst.
- Unusual and frequent urination.
- Tiredness and more fatigue.
- Sugar in urine.
Diagnosis:
Physician test the patient between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy if in female less chance to develop diabetes. If risk is higher in female to get gestational diabetes then screening test may be done earlier.
Test for gestational diabetes are following:
Glucose Challenge test. In this test female drink a glucose syrupy solution and then measure the blood sugar level after one hour. Normally sugar level in blood consider normal is 140 mg/dL .if blood sugar level is 190mg/dL then it indicates female has gestational diabetes.
After this follow up glucose testing is necessary .because if female has high blood glucose level then she go for another test to complete examination of gestational diabetes. This test is done in same manners as first expect that glucose solution syrup is more sweeter and u check the blood after 3 hours .if blood sugar is high in both these test it indicates female has gestational diabetes.
Oral glucose tolerance test .this test is used to diagnose the gestational diabetes if u have risk of developing this diabetes during pregnancy. Oral glucose tolerance test is stand for OGTT. This test is used in initial diagnose of gestational diabetes.
Duration of gestational diabetes:
Sometimes the gestational diabetes which appears in pregnancy Normally go away after the birth of baby but there is not always go away after delivery of baby. Some scientists say that true gestational diabetes have to go away after delivery of baby because they believe that insulin resistance is due to metabolic and hormonal issues in pregnancy. But some scientists believes that women who have gestational diabetes already have diabetes just diagnosed during pregnancy.
Pregnancy effects by gestational diabetes by following:
Mostly women give birth to healthy baby through normal delivery but sometimes it cause many complications such as given:
Sometimes due to gestational diabetes baby grow larger than usual. Which cause many problems such by this normal delivery become difficult and we have to go for cesarean section.
Polyhydramnios: the quantity of Amniotic Fluids which is surrounds the in fetus in womb, which cause premature delivery or complications at birth time. Greater amount of Amniotic Fluids cause premature labor and it also cause baby position to disturb in the womb and hence by this normal delivery is disturb and prove difficult.
Premature delivery. It cause birth of baby before the 37th week of pregnancy. Some Dr suggested that cesarean section is best option for this type of condition so baby born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Sometimes during pregnancy if mother has gestational diabetes then labor pain is induce earlier than normal and cause problems.
Eclampsia. It is a condition in which high blood pressure and protein in the urine present during the pregnancy.
Pre-eclampsia. During this condition female blood pressure became high during pregnancy and it cause many complications if not treated.
Baby skin or eyes become yellow which cause many complications after birth. Jaundice is develop in some babies after birth and in this condition skin and eye color of baby is yellow and liver of baby not work well and cause many complications which reduced the growth of baby.
Baby have low sugar level in blood.
Sometimes miscarriage occur but it is rare.
Having gestational diabetes means after birth or in future more chance to develop diabetes type 2 in female.
During diabetes in pregnancy, female has high glucose level then body produce more insulin to lower it level hence this same process occur in baby and which cause Baby to grow larger than normal. This condition in which large baby weight is called macrosomia. Normally babies have weight almost average 3 to 4 kg .if weight is more than 4 kg it is considered a macrosomia. Hence large weight baby increased the chance of trauma such as bone fracture, breathing problems, sometimes nerve of baby get damaged and cause shoulder dystocia. In this condition baby shoulder stuck in the pelvic of female and baby head is move out form pelvic. Hence in this condition emergency cesarean section is required.
After birth baby has more chance to develop more weight and diabetes which disturb the baby health and cause many further problems.
Treatment of gestational diabetes:
The treatment of gestational diabetes is dependent upon the level of blood glucose level.
Glucose level is not too high then gestational diabetes manage with diet and exercise. But if blood glucose level is high then we go for oral medicine.
The oral drugs metformin and glyburide is mostly best medicine for the treatment of gestational diabetes.
In some female doctors used insulin injection to lower the blood glucose level before eating meal .in this way artificial insulin lower the blood glucose level in pregnant women and prevent any complications in baby or mother.
Metformin drug is safe to use during pregnancy to control the blood sugar level in female and not cause any problems to baby health. This drug can be used during breastfeeding and not cause any problems.
For the treatment of gestational diabetes doctor advice to make proper meal plans and regular physical activities to control the blood sugar level. Our aim is to maintain the blood sugar level is exactly same as in non-gestational diabetic female.
The best way to manage it by diet and exercise which has not side effects.
Doze of medicine taken as given below:
Take per prandial 95mg/dl or less before meal.
Take postprandial 140mg/dl or less after one hour of meal.
Take postprandial 120mg/dl two hours after meal.
If female diagnosed with gestational diabetes then he need proper help from Dr, nurses and neuritis for proper diet plan and other changes which further needed. Diet must be maintained to prevent the female from cesarean section.
Diet for gestational diabetes:
Fruits and vegetables are best diet during pregnancy if u develop gestational diabetes.
The food which contain more sugar are less used such as fruit juices, soft drinks, pastries.
Proteins and healthy fats are used in average amount during this duration.
Moderate of whole grains such as pasta, plus starchy, corn, peas, cereal, and rice are used in gestational diabetes.
Foods which make the gestational diabetes worse and women must be avoid it are following:
Candy, chocolates.
Soda and sugar contain drinks.
Package items such as cookies.
5Icecreams.
Flavor yogurts. .
Actually it is best say that gestational diabetes mostly controlled by maintain the diet. If u take diet according to diet plan then u dnt need any medicine to control the glucose level in blood. During this duration pregnant women have to eat after every 2 3 hours .because if you take less carbohydrate during your meals then u need to eat more in order to maintain the routine nutritional level. Women must take 3 meals or 3 snack a day to full fill their nutritional needs and proteins must be included at your meals
Carbohydrate role in gestational diabetes:
Actually carbohydrates cause blood sugar level to increase more as compared to fat and protein. So it’s necessary to focus on the type and amount of carbohydrates which we are eating. Commonly 30 to 45 grams carbohydrates require per meal and 15 to 30 grams carbohydrates required for snack. But dietitian must be check the exact need of carbohydrates and which type mostly required. Mostly complex carbohydrates are used in gestational diabetes because they have too much fibers which delay the digestion and not increased blood glucose level at the spot, beans, vegetables and grains are complex carbohydrates which are mostly used during pregnancy.
Non starchy vegetables:
Non starchy vegetables provide vitamins, fibers and minerals. Non starchy vegetables are known as freebie foods because they have low carbohydrates. They include following:
- Papers.
- Healthy fats.
- Green salad.
- Cucumbers.
- Onions.
- Green beans.
- Broccoli.
Normally healthy fats are very useful for heart health they are given below:
- Seeds.
- Olive oil.
- Avocado.
- Nuts.
- Almonds, peanut, cashew.
5 ways to remain healthy if u have gestational diabetes:
By maintaining healthy carbohydrates intake .mostly used complex carbohydrates for glucose level maintenance in blood during pregnancy in mother.
By eating small meal in a whole day prove very beneficial and helpful during pregnancy if u have gestational diabetes
By this eating less not increased glucose level in blood and hence blood sugar level maintain by this.
Remain active during pregnancy is a best thing for to compete gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Because if female remain active then she doesn’t become more obese or sugar level also maintain thorough out it.
During this must be check your blood glucose level must be on time or on regular base .in case of increasing glucose level must take insulin to lower down it.
Must be share your care or plans or diet with your Dr because he tell u about your situation and exactness of care about gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes facts and statistics in India:
Gestational diabetes effects 4 million female of India every year during their pregnancy.
Actually 70 to 80 percent gestational diabetes are managed by good diet and exercise plans during pregnancy. Best diet and regular exercise prove very beneficial against the gestational diabetes.
There is 10 percent chance of that baby born with any defects or complications if gestational diabetes is managed poorly. Hence to prevent from any defect gestational diabetes must be managed in a good way.
Only 5 to 10 percent female during pregnancy face issues with gestational diabetes. Remaining all women manage it in a best way.
The female who have gestational diabetes during pregnancy have 50 percent chance to develop diabetes type 2 next 10 years .so she get risk of diabetes type 2 by this .
In Pakistan has 11.3 percent chance of female to get gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. Mostly female manage their diabetes by proper diet and regular exercise.
Middle East, North Africa and Asia has higher risk of developing gestational diabetes.
In America the chance of female to get gestational diabetes is 6 to 9 percent during their pregnancy .actually the percentage of gestational diabetes is increases in recent years.in America female relay on good diet and proper exercise to overcome with gestational diabetes. In some extreme case they take artificial insulin to lower the blood glucose level during pregnancy and for the protection of their baby to protect from any complications.
