Gestational diabetes or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is diabetes that a woman develops during her pregnancy. And the condition disappears after she gives birth to the child. Usually happens in the second or third trimester of the pregnancy. Around 24th to 28th week.
Diabetes is the body’s inability to produce or effectively use insulin. Some of the adverse effects of this disease are nerve disorders and eye damage.
When a woman gets Gestational Diabetes it affects her and the unborn child both.
Some of the Factors of Gestational Diabetes are
1. Chances of a woman getting this disease are high if she is overweight and has a BMI of 30 or more.
2. Either of her parents has diabetes.
3. Women living in certain geographical locations like Africa, South Asians, people from the Middle East are more susceptible to contracting the condition.
8 Things to remember about Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)
1. There are 2 types of GDM
Class A1 – In this type woman can control her sugar levels through diet and exercise. Her doctor will advise keeping in check her blood sugar levels before and after eating.
Class A2 – The patient has to take medication and insulin to counter it. According to the Mayo Clinic, only 10-20 % of women need insulin injections to control their blood sugar.
2. Unless the doctor advises for usual blood tests for check for gestational diabetes. There’s no other way to find out of you have it. As it doesn’t have any sure-shot symptoms.
3. This type of diabetes can produce too much amniotic fluid in the womb, causing early labor and some serious complications for the mother and child.
4. Your baby may grow larger than normal. A large baby can have birth injuries. The mother needs a c-section to get the baby out. Big size of the baby causes respiratory disorders at birth.
5. Increases the chances of your newborn child to get jaundice. Babies are tested for sugar levels at birth. If it’s showing low then sugar water is given or through an intravenous tube. Baby is further kept in observation. But if there is a reaction then the baby will develop Jaundice.
6. If the woman has had gestational diabetes once then her chances of getting it again for her future pregnancies is very high. Statistics tell us that 2out of three mothers get GDM in their subsequent pregnancies.
7. Such a woman is more prone to getting type 2 diabetes for life. GDM goes away after the woman gives birth. But it increases the chance of type 2 diabetes in future by 60%. With a dedicated exercise regimen, healthy diet and reducing weight will reduce the risk exceedingly.
8. Shoulder dystocia is a complication that can occur if the mother has GDM. Shoulder Dystocia means that the baby’s shoulders get stuck to the birth canal during labor.
We all want the best for our children. Whether they are born or we are planning to have them. We want to be in a stable financial, emotional and mental state before we have babies.
Sometimes we forget the physical health bit. If you are overweight and planning to have a child. Then reducing your weight will protect you and your child from a lifetime of a serious disease.
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