Diabete :: Diabetes and Its Implications During Pregnancy ::
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By Guy Starbuck
By Guy Starbuck
A pregnant woman is a witness to the many changes which take place in her body during a pregnancy. Hormones tend to have different modes of operation and this can easily hamper the way that the body manages and produces its own store of insulin as well as a number of other hormones.
Gestational diabetes is usually the term for diabetes which occurs during periods of pregnancy and usually the only way to cure such diabetes is to give birth to the baby. As soon as the baby has been born, most women usually notice that their diabetes disappears, although it tends to put them at a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes later in life. It is common for gestational diabetes to affect about 4% of all pregnant women and it is typical for doctors to test for it in women who are receiving prenatal care. The reason for this is that early detection and treatment are essential to the life of the baby as well as the well-being of the mother. Testing for gestational diabetes usually occurs around the 28 week mark of the pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes is usually the term for diabetes which occurs during periods of pregnancy and usually the only way to cure such diabetes is to give birth to the baby. As soon as the baby has been born, most women usually notice that their diabetes disappears, although it tends to put them at a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes later in life. It is common for gestational diabetes to affect about 4% of all pregnant women and it is typical for doctors to test for it in women who are receiving prenatal care. The reason for this is that early detection and treatment are essential to the life of the baby as well as the well-being of the mother. Testing for gestational diabetes usually occurs around the 28 week mark of the pregnancy.
It is normal for the doctor to order glucose testing in order to determine whether the woman has an abnormally high level of glucose. The tests will usually involve ingesting a glucose based liquid in the doctor's office and then waiting an hour in order to get your Blood Glucose Level tested. If your Blood Glucose Level is normal, you may have nothing to worry about, if your Blood Glucose Level is high on the other hand, your doctor may request more tests in order to confirm. A 2 hours Blood Glucose Test is available but if you scored rather high on the 1 hour test, your doctor may skip this and go straight to the more advanced blood tests. Something else such as the 4 hour Glucose Blood Tests will require that you drink more of the glucose based liquid and have your blood drawn every hour for 4 hours.
As soon as the test is complete and the lab has sent your test results to the doctor, the doctor will then inform you whether your score is high enough for you to be considered as someone who has gestational diabetes. Certain pregnant women are usually at a higher risk than other people for example those people who have a family history of diabetes, people who are overweight or people who have had multiple pregnancies previously. In certain cases of gestational diabetes, the signs and symptoms will occur before the 28 week mark and before the doctor has requested routine testing for glucose. As soon as you are aware of these signs, you can easily look out for yourself and then discuss with your doctor such a discussion is needed.
What are the signs of Gestational diabetes and what can be done if it is found that you have it? In many cases, there are no signs at all but when there are, here are some of what you may notice:
- Extreme and excessive hunger and thirst.
- Excessive weight gain or even unexplained weight loss during pregnancy.
- Recurring vaginal yeast infections.
- Excessive urination.
If it is actually determined that you have gestational diabetes, your doctor will then discuss with you in order to find the right treatment plan. Some people may be overweight but pregnancy is not the right period to think about a diet. You can start a safe and healthy exercise plan and adjust your diet to one which is much healthier. In certain cases you will also need to administer insulin shots yourself but a lot of women are able to stop this as soon as their baby is born and their blood glucose levels return to normal.
Guy Starbuck is a tennis and golf playing, health oriented, coffee drinking writer and financial guru who writes for VascularPressure.com, and MedicineSection.com.
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