Gestational Diabetes: 3 Recommendations For Prevention
Gestational diabetes occurs due to changes in glucose metabolism during pregnancy.
This is a type of diabetes that only occurs during pregnancy due to very high blood sugar levels.
This disease is quite common. Between 1% and 4% of pregnant women suffer from it. This is mainly related to a woman’s genes and therefore only affects a certain group.
It is recommended that women who are predisposed to the disease (or whose relatives have suffered from it) see it annually, especially if they are pregnant.
Gestational diabetes is detected by an O’Sullivan’s test, which consists of a blood test to check that insulin levels are sufficient.
What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?
This disease is not characterized by symptoms. Pregnant women should therefore have a glucose tolerance test between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy.
Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes usually have healthy babies. This depends on how well blood sugar levels are controlled. Otherwise, the baby may be born obese or overfed.
Women who already have chronic diabetes should increase their regulation during pregnancy.
These cases are not classified as gestational diabetes. If a woman has gestational diabetes, it will return to normal after giving birth.
Gestational diabetes: risk factors
When blood sugar levels are controlled, pregnancy should not be considered a high risk. However, a strict diet and regular checkups are required.
The baby could also develop hypoglycemia, which is an indication of low blood sugar levels.
Therefore, it is advisable to start breastfeeding as soon as the baby is born. Babies of mothers with gestational diabetes are also known to be more susceptible to disease later in life.
Some factors make gestational diabetes more likely to develop. The most common are:
- Fe activity
- Pre-existing diabetes
- Relatives with diabetes
- Sugar in the urine
- high blood pressure
- Pregnancy aged 35 years or older
It’s important to lead a healthy lifestyle before you get pregnant. Taking care of your body beforehand can reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
Keeping an appropriate weight and exercise is critical to the health of a woman trying to get pregnant.
How to prevent gestational diabetes
To prevent gestational diabetes, experts recommend the following measures:
- Sport and exercise. Exercising and exercising appropriately on a daily basis will help you as the mother-to-be to control your weight. It will also give you more energy and reduce back pain. For example, you could walk, swim, or do yoga for 30 minutes each day.
- Go to the doctor. Regular checkups during pregnancy are very important so that you are cared for and can be reassured. Your doctor will do tests to monitor your blood sugar levels.
- Eat healthy. A balanced diet is very important for the health of both mother and child. The right care depends on the mother’s weight, height and level of activity. During pregnancy, your diet should consist of a variety of foods. Eating a balanced diet is the best way to prevent gestational diabetes.
