What Is Gestational Diabetes:
The Prevention Of
Early Symptoms Of Diabetes
It is vital that you as the mother do understand what is gestational diabetes and how it may affect you. Although there is only an approximate 7% occurrence rate for this condition, the complications of high birth weight (which leads to extremes placed on the mother and baby during delivery), breathing problems for the baby and the symptoms of high blood pressure for the mother all can be present without any actual noticeable symptoms. For this reason almost all mothers are now screened routinely during your 5th to 6th month of pregnancy to try to prevent the early symptoms of diabetes. Defining What Is Gestational DiabetesPregnancy itself alters a woman's glucose metabolism. The new fetus and the placenta create various hormones commonly not found in the mother's system. These hormones' production is strictly for the health of the baby. Unfortunately though, these hormones have the capabilities of decreasing a woman's sensitivity to insulin. Therefore, often a woman's blood sugar levels will keep climbing because of an increase in glucose production. So, a woman with absolutely no signs or symptoms of diabetes before pregnancy, now will develop the symptoms of insulin resistance. With proper testing and controls positioned, this serious condition can be controlled with diet, exercise and in some cases an insulin therapy program. After the birth though, the fetus and placenta are now gone so the increased hormone production now stops thus relieving these early symptoms of diabetes. Occasionally though, some women do still exhibit symptoms of uncontrolled blood sugars after birth. A breastfeeding mother does need extra energy and fuel to allow her to nurse her baby. With a few diet changes and some extra food and liquids, the lows of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can be prevented. Under close supervision by your doctor, blood sugar checks and charting will be followed to obtain a safe diet plan that will assure the best nutrition for both mother and baby. It has even been shown that a breastfeeding mother for at least the first six months, has a diminished capacity of developing a full blown case of diabetes (type 2 ) later in her own life. Also, the odds of childhood obesity in later years have been greatly reduced just by staging good healthy eating habits now in the young child. So by following some controlled guidelines during your pregnancy, the question of what is gestational diabetes may still come up but the correct controls can be positioned that many complications can be prevented during the entire pregnancy and beyond.
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