Causes, Complications, And Cures Of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy creating concern for both the mother and the unborn baby. Almost all women who receive good prenatal care are tested for the disease and steps can be taken to prevent complications from occurring and to cure the symptoms and effects of high blood sugar. The advances in diagnosing gestational diabetes have made it very controllable. It is very important for every pregnant woman to get the care of a good doctor during pregnancy to test for gestational diabetes and other possible problems.
The Cause
As with other types of diabetes, in gestational diabetes a woman’s body is unable to produce enough insulin to process the blood sugar in the body causing blood sugars to rise. There is not a complete understanding of the cause but it is thought that certain hormones released during pregnancy block the production of insulin. People who are at risk for gestational diabetes have a family history of type 2 diabetes, are over age 35, have had a large baby or a baby with abnormalities, or they are obese.
Complications Of Gestational Diabetes
The biggest concern with gestational diabetes is the effect the high blood sugars will have on the developing baby. Although the high blood sugar is bad for the mother, especially if they are very high, the diabetes usually resolves after the birth of the baby. But with the high blood sugar the baby will have difficulty developing appropriately. The infant will have a high birth weight and may have heart and respiratory defects. There is also a risk of jaundice and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) occurring after birth. If the blood sugars are not controlled at all there is an increased risk of the infant being stillborn.
Curing Gestational Diabetes
As with other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes can not be cured during the pregnancy but can be well controlled. A woman who has gestational diabetes diagnosis will need to receive education about what type of diet she needs to follow. She will certainly need to avoid sweets and simple sugars. A well balanced diet with sufficient protein, fat and complex carbohydrates will prove to be beneficial in blood sugar control. The woman will need to learn to monitor her blood sugars so she can keep a close eye on the levels and get medical help should they go too high. Sometimes a woman will have to take insulin during her pregnancy to provide what her body is not able to produce. With well maintained blood sugars both mother and baby should be able to avoid any complication.
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