During pregnancy different disorders may arise in the mother, hormonal changes can cause different pathologies. For this reason, it is very important that an intense follow-up is carried out during the entire time of the pregnancy. In this way, it is possible to detect any abnormality in the mother's body and thus, put a remedy on it as soon as possible.
One of these disorders is gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that appears during pregnancy in women who did not have this disease previously. This metabolic failure can cause different problems for both the mother and the baby. We take advantage of the fact that today is World Diabetes Day, to explain everything you need to know about gestational diabetes.
what is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that some women have during pregnancy. This metabolic disorder is caused by a failure in the production of insulin or due to a bad process Of the same. Insulin is a hormone manufactured by the pancreas and is necessary for cells to be able to transform sugar from food into energy.
When the pancreas does not make enough insulin or if for any reason it does not perform its function correctly, sugar or glucose, instead of being transformed into energy it accumulates in the blood. This disorder can have important consequences, both for the health of the mother and the baby. However, this disorder is very common in pregnant women and with proper treatment, it can be controlled without major problem.
Consequences of gestational diabetes
If for any reason gestational diabetes is not adequately controlled, the consequences can be quite serious. Among all the problems that can arise are the following:
- That the baby is born too big, which would cause difficulties in childbirth
- The need to perform a Caesarean section
- Physical injuries at birth vaginally
- Increased blood pressure with risk of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia it is a very important problem that can cause serious consequences for the mother and the baby
- Hypoglycemia, treatment with insulin or other drugs to control diabetes, can cause low blood sugar. If not controlled properly, this disorder can lead to serious problems.
The exact causes of gestational diabetes are not yet known, although it is very possible that it is caused by the hormones of the pregnancy. These hormones can interfere with the body's ability to produce and manage insulin. In addition, there are risk factors such as obesity, the mother's age, family history or bad habits.
Some of these factors are unavoidable on the part of the mother, on the other hand, many of these can be controlled on the table:
- The overweight prior to pregnancy
- The absence of physical activity
- Poor diet
- Harmful substances such as el tobacco
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes
One of the biggest problems is that diabetes has no symptoms or if they do appear, they are so mild that the mother does not perceive them. But knowing the possible symptoms can help you detect them early, could be the following:
- Very thirsty and the need to drink water constantly
- Trouble seeing well blurred vision
- Urinary tract infections
- Fatigue challenge
- Unexplained weight loss
For this reason tests are done during pregnancyIn cases where there is a risk factor, a glucose test is performed in the first trimester of pregnancy. Then, around week 24, the glucose test called O'Sullivan test.
Tips to prevent gestational diabetes
Many women do not have the possibility of avoiding suffering from gestational diabetes, there are many unavoidable conditions as we have already mentioned. But this does not mean that you should neglect yourself, there are many things you can do to take care of yourself and thus improve your health during your pregnancy.
Healthy nutrition
Take maximum care of your diet, it is essential that you take care of what you eat for your baby to have a proper development, but also for your own health. Follow the nutrition advice provided by your midwife or the doctor who is following your pregnancy. In addition, here you can find some tips on feeding in pregnancy.
Physical exercise
Physical activity will help you improve blood sugar level, but it will also help you stay healthy. Consult with your doctor before doing any exercise with too much impact, but you can always walk at least an hour a day and that would be enough.
Medical reviews
Finally, do not forget to go to all the medical check-ups that you have marked during your pregnancy. It's very important see that everything runs smoothly and thus, you will avoid as much as possible possible complications that may arise.