During pregnancy, if the amount of sugar in the blood of a pregnant mother rises above the normal level, it is called Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. It usually resolves after childbirth. Gestational diabetes can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but it is more common during the 2nd or 3rd trimester (4th to 9th month).
This problem occurs when your body cannot produce insulin to meet the increased demands of pregnancy . Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
Gestational diabetes can cause a variety of problems for you and your baby during pregnancy and after delivery. But if it is caught in the early stages and necessary treatment is taken, the risk of complications is greatly reduced. In this article, you will know what kind of harmful effects gestational diabetes can have on you and your unborn child.
Who is at risk of gestational diabetes ?
Any pregnant woman can develop gestational diabetes, but some are at higher risk than others. Some of the factors that increase this risk include:
- excess weight If your BMI is greater than 30;
- If you have had a child weighing 4.5 kg (10 lbs) or more in the past;
- If you have been pregnant before, and had gestational diabetes at the time;
- If any of your parents, siblings have diabetes;
- People of South Asian, black, African-Caribbean, or Middle Eastern descent are more likely to develop gestational diabetes.
If any of these five conditions apply to you, you should get tested for gestational diabetes.
Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes usually has no specific symptoms.
In most cases it is detected during pregnancy checkup. However, some people may experience symptoms when blood sugar levels rise too much, such as:
- frequent thirst,
- Urinating more frequently than before.
- Dry mouth, o
- feeling tired
Having these symptoms does not mean you have gestational diabetes. Some symptoms occur naturally during pregnancy. But if you have any such symptoms, and you feel worried about it, consult a doctor
What kind of effects can gestational diabetes have?
In most cases, gestational diabetes is a very normal pregnancy, and the fetus is born healthy.
However, in some cases, the unborn child may have some problems and various complications may occur during delivery. For example:
- A child that is larger than normal in size. This can lead to various complications during delivery. Induction of labor with medication or caesarean section may be necessary.
- Child delivery before completion of 37th week of pregnancy. This is called premature labor .
- If the amount of fluid that surrounds the baby in the womb (amniotic fluid) is high, it can lead to premature delivery. This is called polyhydramnios .
- Problems related to high blood pressure during pregnancy. If left untreated, it can cause various serious complications during pregnancy. This is called pre-eclampsia.
- After birth, your baby's blood sugar levels drop or the baby's skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow (jaundice) – this may require hospitalisation.
- stillbirth Although this is very rare.
Ways to confirm gestational diabetes
During your first checkup between the 8th and 12th week of pregnancy, the doctor will ask you some questions to find out if you are at risk for gestational diabetes. If you have one or more potential risks, you may be asked to undergo a screening test to determine if you have gestational diabetes.
This screening test is called Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). It takes about 2 hours to complete. In this, your blood will be tested first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. The condition is that one cannot eat or smoke for 8-10 hours before the blood test. But the water can be drunk. After the blood test, you will be given a certain amount of glucose- containing liquid to drink. After a 2-hour break, the blood will be tested again to see what kind of response your body has to this glucose .
This test is usually done during the 24-28th week of pregnancy. However, if you have had gestational diabetes before, you will be advised to have an OGTT test during your first pregnancy visit. If the result of this test is normal then the test should be done again at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy.
What is the treatment of gestational diabetes ?
Keeping blood sugar levels under control is essential to avoid potential complications of gestational diabetes. If you have a blood sugar meter or glucometer at home , you can monitor this level yourself regularly. It is possible to lower blood sugar levels by changing the diet and keeping the body active. But if the blood sugar level does not come down after all this, then medication will be needed for treatment – the medication may be tablets or insulin injections. You should be under regular medical supervision during pregnancy and delivery to avoid possible complications.
If you have gestational diabetes, it is best to deliver before the 41st week of pregnancy. During this period, if labor pains do not arise naturally, artificial labor is started through drugs or other methods (induced labor) or cesarean delivery is suggested. Preterm delivery may be advised if there are potential health risks for you or your unborn child, or if your blood sugar levels are not well controlled.
What are the long-term effects of gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes usually resolves after childbirth. But those who have it once are more likely to develop gestational diabetes again in future pregnancies, as well as the mother's risk of developing type 2 diabetes .
Get a blood test 6 to 13 weeks after giving birth to see if you have diabetes. If you don't have diabetes, get tested for diabetes at least once a year from now on. If you have any symptoms of high blood sugar, see a doctor quickly without waiting for a checkup . Among the symptoms of high blood sugar are:
- frequent thirst,
- Frequent urination, o
- Dry mouth.
Even if you have no symptoms, you should get regular tests, as many people with diabetes have no symptoms at all.
Your doctor will advise you on what you can do to reduce your risk of developing diabetes, such as maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly.
Some studies have shown that children of mothers who have gestational diabetes are more likely to have diabetes or be overweight later.
Planning for future pregnancies
If you have had gestational diabetes in the past and you plan to become pregnant again, be sure to get your diabetes tested.
If you have diabetes, consult your doctor about preconception preparations. Make sure your diabetes is fully under control before getting pregnant. If you have an unplanned pregnancy, tell the doctor that you have had gestational diabetes before and get advice accordingly.
If the test shows that you do not have diabetes, you will be asked to have a diabetes test once during the first pregnancy checkup (between 8th-12th week of pregnancy) and again at 24th-28th week if the result is normal. Alternatively, your doctor may advise you to measure your blood sugar yourself. You can continue to measure blood sugar in the same way you used a glucometer during previous gestational diabetes.
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