Diabetes in pregnancy, the first thing that comes to mind when you hear it is called diabetes in the mother's body during pregnancy. In fact, during pregnancy, the increase in the amount of glucose in the blood of the mother is called gestational diabetes or Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Physiological and hormonal changes occur in women during pregnancy. Some risk factors, including high hormone levels, can lead to diabetes in some cases. But don't worry, the baby usually gets better soon after delivery. It can happen at any stage of pregnancy but it is very common during 2nd or 3rd trimester i.e. 4th or 9th month. Let's know the details.
Why is diabetes in pregnancy?
In a word, this problem starts when the pregnant mother's body cannot produce insulin according to the increased demand of pregnancy. Let's take a look at the reasons-
1) The risk of gestational diabetes increases if the mother's weight is higher than normal before pregnancy. The risk increases if the mother's BMI is greater than 30.
2) The risk of gestational diabetes increases if a child is born weighing more than 4.5 kg or 10 pounds in the past.
Diabetes in pregnancy
3) This risk increases if someone in the family has a history of diabetes.
4) It can also be due to a shortage of manual labor.
5) As you get older, there is a risk of developing Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS.
6) If diabetes occurs in the first pregnancy, this risk remains in the second pregnancy as well.
7) Thyroid problems, hypertension, and high cholesterol increase the risk.
People of South Asian, black, African-Caribbean, or Middle Eastern descent are at higher risk.
Symptoms
In this case, there are usually no special symptoms. In most cases, it is caught during a routine checkup. However, in some cases, if the blood sugar level increases too much, then some symptoms may appear, such as
- Frequent thirst
- Frequent urination
- Dry mouth
- feeling tired
- Sudden weight loss
- Feeling more hungry
However, having these symptoms does not mean that the pregnant mother has diabetes. In many cases, these symptoms can also be seen in normal pregnancy. But if you have any of these symptoms and you are worried about it, consult a doctor without delay!
After what kind of effect on the fetus?
In many cases, even with gestational diabetes, the pregnancy is very normal and the fetus is born healthy. However, in some cases, complications may occur between the child and the mother, such as
1) The size of the child is larger than normal. This causes various complications during delivery. As a result, artificial delivery with drugs or cesarean section is required.
2) Child delivery before the completion of 37 weeks is called premature labor.
3) The amount of amniotic fluid may increase, resulting in premature delivery.
4) Blood pressure can fluctuate during pregnancy.
5) After birth, the sugar level in the baby's body may decrease or in many cases, the skin and the whites of the eyes may turn yellow. In this case, the child must be taken to the hospital for treatment.
6) Stillbirth may occur, though this is very rare.
Ways to confirm gestational diabetes
During the first check-up of the expectant mother, usually in the 8th to 12th week of pregnancy, she is asked some routine questions, through which the risk of gestational diabetes is assessed. If someone matches one or more of the risks, they are offered a screening, which can be completed in just 2 hours. From this, it can be confirmed about the existence of gestational diabetes.
This screening test is called the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test or OGTT. This test is mainly done during the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy. However, if the doctor thinks there is a risk of gestational diabetes in the expectant mother through the question and answer, then he advises to do this beforehand.
Treatment:
Mainly to reduce the complications it is necessary to keep the blood sugar under control during this time. It can be easily measured if you have a blood glucose measuring device or glucometer at home. If you control your diet and keep your body active, you can easily keep your blood sugar under control. But if it still does not come under control then medicine is needed and the medicine can be tablet or insulin injection.
Diabetes in pregnancy is quite common and can be controlled to a large extent if you are a little aware. And since it is treatable, both mother and child should control the diet and lifestyle as much as possible without worrying. Stay well, best wishes to every mother-to-be.
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