Gestational-diabetes-getting-on-the-know-how-for-you-&-your-baby

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes which affects pregnant women. It is believed that the hormones produced during pregnancy reduce a woman's receptivity to insulin, leading to high blood sugar levels.
In gestational diabetes, the pancreas is not at fault. Instead, the problem is in the placenta. During pregnancy, the placenta provides the baby with nourishment. It also produces a number of hormones that interfere with the body's usual response to insulin. This condition is referred to as "insulin resistance." Most pregnant women do not suffer from gestational diabetes, because the pancreas works to produce extra quantities of insulin in order to compensate for insulin resistance. However, when a woman's pancreas cannot produce enough extra insulin, blood levels of glucose stay abnormally high, and the woman is considered to have gestational diabetes.
Most women with gestational diabetes have no recognizable symptoms for this reason it is recommended that all pregnant women be screened for gestational diabetes during the 24th and 28th weeks of their pregnancy.

Raises an Alarm to My Baby's Health

• High sugar levels in your blood can be unhealthy for both you and your baby. If the diabetes isn't treated, your baby may be more likely to have problems at birth.
• For example, your baby may have a low blood sugar level, jaundice, or your baby may weigh much more than normal.
• Gestational diabetes can also affect your health. For instance, if your baby is very large, you may have a more difficult delivery or you may need a cesarean section. Gestational diabetes also increases your risk of developing preeclampsia, which is a condition that can be serious if left untreated.

The goals of treatment are to maintain blood glucose levels within normal limits during the duration of the pregnancy, and ensure the well-being of the fetus.

Diet

• Mild forms can be treated with diet (decreasing the intake of sugars and fats, in particular). The overall principles are to reduce the amount of fat, simple sugar, and salt and increase the amount of complex carbohydrates and foods high in fiber.
• No more than 10% to 20% of the day's total calories should come from protein. Approximately 50% to 60% of the day's total calories should come from complex carbohydrates such as starches and whole-grain breads, with an emphasis on the high-fiber choices.
• Foods that are high in carbohydrates provide energy, minerals, and vitamins. Food sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber are fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, lentils and legumes.
• Meals should be eaten at approximately the same time every day.

Exercise:-

• Non-weight-bearing exercises such as stationary cycling, swimming, and arm exercises, may be most suitable for these patients, to improve and maintain glucose homeostasis. Walking may be another safe option.
• Try exercising frequently, 4 to 5 days per week, to get the "blood sugar lowering" advantages of an exercise program. Don't omit a warm-up period of 5 to 10 minutes and a cool-down period of 5 to 10 minutes.
• Always stop exercising if you feel pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, faintness, palpitations, back or pelvic pain, or experience vaginal bleeding..
• Because both insulin and exercise lower blood sugar levels, the combination can result in hypoglycemia so when exercising take along sugar in the form of hard, sugar-sweetened candies just in case your blood sugar becomes too low.

Medication:-
When diet and exercise do not keep blood glucose levels within an acceptable range, a patient may need to take regular shots of insulin.
Think wise; choose precisely if you care for your baby.