Gestational diabetes is a common condition that women get when they are pregnant. It is a condition in which women who have never been diagnosed of diabetes before conceiving exhibit high blood glucose (blood sugar) levels while pregnant.
It is one of the most common health problems of pregnancy. What diabetes summarily mean is that you have abnormally high levels of sugar in your blood.
When you eat, your digestive system breaks most of your food down into a type of sugar called glucose. When the glucose enters your bloodstream your cells will use the glucose as energy, with the help of insulin.
The implication of this is that, if your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or your cells are having problems responding to the insulin, too much glucose will remain in your blood instead of moving into the cells and turning into energy.
Hormonal changes can cause your cells to respond less to insulin when you are pregnant. Although, this is not a problem for most moms, since their pancreas secretes more of insulin when it is needed in surplus. But if your pancreas cannot keep up with the high demand for insulin during pregnancy, this makes your blood glucose levels rise too high, causing gestational diabetes.
How to minimize the risk of developing diabetes when pregnant
- Keep your weight down by eating healthy food
- Exercise regularly
- And take the medications prescribed by the doctor.
In gestational diabetes, blood sugar usually returns to normal soon after delivery. But if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you’re at risk for type 2 diabetes. You’ll continue working with your doctor to monitor and manage your blood sugar.
When to see a doctor
1. Talk to your doctor
Before trying to get pregnant, talk to your doctor to know if you’re risk of gestational diabetes. So that if you’re at risk, once you get pregnant, your doctor will address gestational diabetes during your prenatal care.
2. Go for check up often
If you develop diabetes while pregnant, you may need to go for check up more frequently, especially during the last three months of your pregnancy when your doctor will have to monitor your blood sugar level and also determine your baby’s health.
3. Referral may be required
You may ask your doctor if you need to be referred to health professionals who specialize in diabetes, such as an endocrinologist, a registered dietitian or a diabetes educator. They will train you on how to better manage your blood sugar level while pregnancy.
After your baby is born, your blood sugar level will return to normal, but just to be sure your doctor should check your blood sugar level immediately you give birth to your baby, and also 6 weeks after. Once you know you have gestational diabetes, it is advised that you check your blood sugar level regularly.
If you’re reading this and you are pregnant, don’t panic. You can control gestational diabetes by eating healthy, exercising and taking your drugs. It is important that you control your sugar level to prevent birth complications and keep you and your baby healthy.
