Diabetes is a condition in which either the body is not able to produce insulin or isn’t able to use sugars and carbohydrates it takes in as food to make energy. This is due to less production of insulin, which converts sugars and starches into energy. Thus, it leads to accumulation of sugar in blood and causes diabetes.
Now, if you are going to conceive and wish to become a mother, there may be two cases;
1. You may already have diabetes
2. You may get diabetes at later stages of pregnancy known as gestational diabetes
In case 1, where you already have type 1 or 2 diabetes, you need to take proper control over your blood sugar levels as those can affect your child and your pregnancy days. Below are some problems that might occur when you have pre-existing diabetes:
1. Birth defects: During the first two months of pregnancy, the baby’s organs develop, frequently before a woman realizes she is pregnant. Uncontrolled blood sugar can harm those organs as they build, resulting in significant birth abnormalities in the growing infant, such as brain, spine, and heart disorders.
2. Birth of an extra-large baby: The baby’s blood sugar will be high if the diabetes is not effectively controlled. The infant gets “overfed” and becomes disproportionately huge. An extremely big baby can cause issues during delivery for both the mother and the baby, in addition to causing discomfort to the woman throughout the last few months of pregnancy.
3. High blood pressure (Preeclampsia): Preeclampsia occurs when a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, protein in her urine, and persistent swelling in her fingers and toes. It might cause the baby to be born prematurely, as well as seizures or a stroke in the mother during labour and delivery (a blood clot or hemorrhage in the brain that can cause brain damage).
4. Early birth: Breathing issues, heart problems, bleeding into the brain, digestive problems, and eyesight impairments can all occur if a baby is delivered too early. Women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes are more likely than women without diabetes to give birth early.
5. Miscarriage or still-birth: A miscarriage occurs when a pregnancy is lost before 20 weeks. Stillbirth occurs when a baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks. Stillbirths and miscarriages can occur for a variety of causes. A woman with poorly managed diabetes is more likely to miscarry or give birth to a stillborn child.
These complicated problems can be avoided if the mother plans for pregnancy and consults the doctor and gets the blood glucose levels under control by changing some medications if needed and having frequent follow ups. Women can also get on a healthy diet plan that will help regulate the blood glucose levels, exercising regularly in order to balance the food intake, and monitoring blood glucose levels often in order to keep them under control.
The next is diabetes that happens for the first time when a woman is pregnant, known as gestational diabetes. It usually goes away once you’ve had your kid. However, it raises your chances of acquiring type 2 diabetes later in life. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are additional risks for your youngster.
The placenta is an organ that provides nourishment and oxygen to a growing fetus during pregnancy. Hormones are also produced by the placenta. Estrogen, cortisol, and human placental lactogen may inhibit insulin in late pregnancy. Insulin resistance occurs when insulin is inhibited. Glucose is unable to enter the cells of the body. The glucose remains in the bloodstream, causing blood sugar levels to rise.
During late pregnancy, all pregnant women experience some insulin resistance. Some women, however, are insulin resistant even before they become pregnant. They have a higher insulin need at the onset of pregnancy and are more prone to develop gestational diabetes.
Risk associated with gestational diabetes:
Pregnancy might raise your risk of high blood pressure if you have gestational diabetes. It can also raise your chances of having a big baby who requires a cesarean delivery (C-section).
If you have gestational diabetes, your baby is more likely to develop the following problems:
1. Being extremely huge (9 pounds or more), which can complicate delivery
2. Early birth, which can cause respiratory and other issues
3. Low blood sugar levels
4. Later-life onset of type 2 diabetes
After your baby is delivered, your blood sugar levels should return to normal. However, roughly half of women who acquire gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. After birth, you can reduce your risk by maintaining a healthy body weight.
Tips to manage gestational diabetes:
1. Checking your blood sugar levels to ensure they remain within a safe range.
2. Eating the correct kinds of healthful foods at the proper times. Follow your doctor’s or dietitian’s healthy eating plan.
3. Being active is important. Regular moderate-intensity physical exercise (such as brisk walking) decreases blood sugar and increases insulin sensitivity, allowing your body to need less insulin. Check with your doctor to see what kind of physical exercise you can participate in and which ones you should avoid.
4. Keep an eye on your child. Your baby’s growth and development will be monitored by your doctor.
The women having diabetes before pregnancy or develops during pregnancy can be controlled and the child can be born healthy. This needs a routine check-up and consultation with diabetes experts. In order to get proper guidance in important days of your life, connect with experts who have helped hundreds of pregnant mothers in balancing their blood glucose levels.
