Gestational Diabetes, Diabetes during Pregnancy

News Health Articles - Gestational Diabetes, Diabetes during Pregnancy.

Description

Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy. As with other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how the body's cells use sugar (glucose), which is the body's main fuel. Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar, so it can affect pregnancy and infant health.

Pregnant women can help manage gestational diabetes by eating healthy foods, exercising, and if necessary taking the drug. Caring for yourself can ensure a healthy pregnancy and a healthy start for babies. In gestational diabetes, blood sugar usually returns to normal shortly after delivery.

 But if you already suffer from gestational diabetes, it will be at high risk for type 2 diabetes in the future.

Cause

Researchers do not yet know exactly why some women develop gestational diabetes. To understand how gestational diabetes occurs, can help to understand how pregnancy affects the body's normal process of glucose. Insulin is a hormone that helps transport glucose from the blood stream moves into the cell body, which will be used as energy.

During pregnancy, the placenta that connects the growing baby to the blood supply will result in high levels of other hormones. Almost all of them interfere with the action of insulin in the cell, thereby increasing blood sugar. Ari modest increase in blood sugar after meals is normal during pregnancy.

As the baby grows, the placenta produces more and more insulin blocking hormones. In gestational diabetes, placental hormones trigger an increase in blood sugar to levels that may affect the growing baby. Gestational diabetes usually develops during the last half of pregnancy.

Symptom

For most women, gestational diabetes causes obvious signs or symptoms. Gestational diabetes can also cause excessive thirst or increased urination.

Treatment

It is important to monitor and control the blood sugar to keep the baby healthy and avoiding complications during pregnancy and birth. Treatment that may be performed may include:

1. Monitoring blood sugar levels
2. A healthy diet
3. Physical exercise or sports
4. Drug
5. Monitor the baby's development
6. Breastfeeding a baby
Breastfeeding may help prevent type 2 diabetes postpartum. Breastfeeding can also help babies avoid obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Sources: MayoClinic