Be Careful About Diabetes And Pregnancy - The Risk Factors
Pregnancy is a time of eager anticipation for welcoming a new life into the world. Often it is also a trying time for the mother-to-be owing to the fact that the body undergoes a lot of changes to accommodate the development of the fetus inside her body. This is a time when any type of pre-existing medical problem can compound into heavy risks for both the mother and the unborn child.
The Dangers Posed By Diabetes And Pregnancy
Diabetes is a disease which results from the malfunctioning of the islets of Langerhan which are situated on the pancreas. When this happens, the body does not receive sufficient amounts of insulin and hence is unable to break down the sugar into energy. This is a life threatening disease if left untreated and when it occurs in pregnant women it poses a number of risks to both mother and the baby such as excessive birth weight of the baby which is also known as macrosomia, risk of developing type 2 diabetes, developing acute respiratory problems, reduced calcium and magnesium levels and jaundice among others.
There is a link between diabetes and pregnancy which is not very clear. However, very often you would find that women who had no previous problems with sugar develop this affliction after they get pregnant. This is also known as gestational diabetes.
The Symptoms And Treatment Of Diabetes
There are two ways that a woman would suffer from diabetes during pregnancy - (i) the woman had diabetes prior to pregnancy, and (ii) the woman develops diabetes as a result of the pregnancy. In both cases it would be critical to keep the sugar in control during the pregnancy. When the woman has had this problem previously she would be aware of it and would most likely take the necessary medication and precaution to control it.
However, when this disease develops during pregnancy, the woman might not be aware of its symptoms, which are mostly the same as those of a person suffering from diabetes mellitus. These include acute thirst, fatigue, frequent urination, loss of weight among others. Periodic check-ups and constant interaction with the gynecologist would help in early diagnosis.
When a woman has both diabetes and pregnancy she needs to plan very carefully to avoid any possible complications. This would require a special nutritional therapy tailor made to the individual needs of the pregnant woman, which provide the would-be-mother with the calorie she needs without increasing the blood sugar. Constant monitoring would also be required to keep a close watch on the development of diabetes and pregnancy and ensure that everything stays under control.
Once diagnosed it is possible to successfully manage diabetes and pregnancy with the help of correct diet and medication.
