The risk factors for diabetes in pregnancy depend on the type of diabetes.....
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Diabetes is a serious disease in which your body cannot properly control the amount of sugar in your blood because it does not have enough insulin. Diabetes is the most common medical complication during pregnancy, representing 3.3 per cent of all live births. There are many steps you can take in order to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.
There are two primary types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes, which is often diagnosed in childhood and in young adults, is an autoimmune disease that requires daily use of insulin. Symptoms of Type 1 may include increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and extreme fatigue. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. Symptoms of Type 2 include bladder or kidney infections that heal slowly, increased thirst and urination, constant hunger and fatigue. This form of diabetes is often associated with older age, obesity, family history, previous history of gestational diabetes and physical inactivity.
The risk factors for diabetes in pregnancy depend on the type of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes often occurs in children or young adults, but it can start at any age. Overweight women are more likely to have gestational diabetes. It’s also more common in women who have had gestational diabetes before.
And it’s more common in women who have a family member with Type 2 diabetes. Women with twins or other multiples are also more likely to have it.
Nearly all nondiabetic pregnant women are screened for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. A glucose screening test is given during this time. For the test, you drink a glucose drink and have your blood glucose levels tested after 2 hours. If this test shows a high blood glucose level, a 3-hour glucose tolerance test will be done. If results of the second test are not normal, gestational diabetes is diagnosed.
Most complications happen in women who already have diabetes before they get pregnant. Possible complications include need for insulin injections more often, very low blood glucose levels, which can be life-threatening if untreated and Ketoacidosis from high levels of blood glucose, which may also be life-threatening if untreated.
Women with gestational diabetes are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes in later life. They are also more likely to have gestational diabetes with another pregnancy. If you have gestational diabetes, you should get tested a few months after your baby is born and every three years after that.
Stillbirth (fetal death): Stillbirth is more likely in pregnant women with diabetes. The baby may grow slowly in the uterus due to poor circulation or other conditions, such as high blood pressure or damaged small blood vessels. The exact reason stillbirths happen with diabetes is not known. The risk of stillbirth goes up in women with poor blood glucose control and with blood vessel changes.
Birth defects: Birth defects are more likely in babies of diabetic mothers. Some birth defects are serious enough to cause stillbirth. Birth defects usually occur in the first trimester of pregnancy. Babies of diabetic mothers may have major birth defects in the heart and blood vessels, brain and spine, urinary system and kidneys, and digestive system.
Macrosomia: This is the term for a baby that is much larger than normal. All of the nutrients the baby gets come directly from the mother’s blood. If the mother’s blood has too much sugar, the pancreas of the baby makes more insulin to use this glucose. This causes fat to form and the baby grows very large.
Birth injury: Birth injury may occur due to the baby’s large size and difficulty in being born.
Hypoglycemia: The baby may have low levels of blood glucose right after delivery. This problem occurs if the mother’s blood glucose levels have been high for a long time. This leads to a lot of insulin in the baby’s blood. After delivery, the baby continues to have a high insulin level, but no longer has the glucose from the mother. This causes the newborn’s blood glucose level to get very low. The baby’s blood glucose level is checked after birth. If the level is too low, the baby may need glucose in an IV.
Trouble breathing (respiratory distress): Too much insulin or too much glucose in a baby’s system may keep the lungs from growing fully. This can cause breathing problems in babies. This is more likely in babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Preeclampsia: Women with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for preeclampsia during pregnancy. To lower the risk, they should take low-dose aspirin (60 to150 mg a day) from the end of the first trimester until the baby is born.
Whether you are trying to conceive or already pregnant, treating diabetes during pregnancy is key to the health of both you and your baby. Firstly, take time to visit your doctor regularly. You need to devise a care plan to manage your blood glucose levels. Frequent contact with your gynaecologist is essential in managing blood glucose levels and monitoring the health of you and your baby. Secondly, talk to your dietician to develop a healthy meal plan. Prioritising proper nutrition will assist in controlling your blood sugar both before and after conception. Third, tell your doctor about any current medications you are taking for diabetes or any other health conditions so you can take what is safest during your pregnancy.
Moreover, make appointments with the appropriate high-risk specialists. Specialists may include a perinatologist who treats women with high-risk pregnancies and an endocrinologist who treats women with diabetes and other health conditions. Last but not least, stay physically active.
Not all types of diabetes can be prevented. Type 1 diabetes usually starts when a person is young. Type 2 diabetes may be avoided by losing weight. Healthy food choices and exercise can also help prevent Type 2 diabetes.
