| Gestational
Diabetes
Gestational diabetes develops
in about 3% - 5% of all pregnant women. It is different from type
1 diabetes where the body produces no insulin and insulin must be
injected and type 2 diabetes, where the body suffers from varying
levels of insulin resistance and can be controlled through diet
and exercise, with oral medication or with insulin injections.
Gestational diabetes usually
develops about midway through a pregnancy at about 20 to 24 weeks
and is caused by the changes in hormones in your body during pregnancy.
For most women there are no recognizable symptoms. However, if left
undiagnosed and untreated it can create risks for the developing
fetus. Left untreated the mother's blood sugar levels will be consistently
high. This sugar will cross the placenta and pour into the baby's
system through the umbilical cord. The unborn baby's pancreas will
respond to this high level of sugar by constantly putting out large
amounts of insulin. The insulin will allow the fetus's cells to
take in glucose, where it will be converted to fat and stored. A
baby who has been exposed to constantly high levels of sugar throughout
pregnancy will be abnormally large. The baby can also suffer after
effects once it is born and is no longer receiving the high levels
of sugar. However, routine screening is usually done between week
24 and 28 of the pregnancy for early detection.
If you are diagnosed with gestational
diabetes you will be required to follow a strict diet decreasing
the intake of sugars and fats. The diet will emphasize complex carbohydrates
such as vegetables, cereal, grains, beans, peas and other starchy
foods as well as foods high in fiber. You will also be required
to regularly measure the blood sugar levels. The gestational diabetes
usually clears up as soon as the baby is born. However, some studies
show that almost 40% of women who have gestational diabetes will
go on to develop a permanent form of diabetes within 15 years.
Women most likely at risk are
overweight, have a family history of diabetes, have previously given
birth to a very large, heavy baby, have an excess amount of amniotic
fluid, are over 25 years of age or have a previous history of gestational
diabetes during pregnancy.
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