Gestational Diabetes!

We spoke about the two common type of diabetes in our previous articles, but today we are going to talk about Gestational diabetes which occurs in women during the second trimester of pregnancy. According to statistics, about 4% of all pregnant women suffer from Gestational Diabetes, but unlike the other types, Gestational Diabetes disappears after the birth of the baby.

However, the disappearance does not mean that she is clear of the threat. A pregnant woman who suffers from Gestational Diabetes once is prone to having it even during her second pregnancy. It could also develop into Type 2 Diabetes if care isn’t taken during the period of pregnancy. Usually, it is the older pregnant women who are prone to Gestational Diabetes.

This type of Diabetes can be very frightening as a pregnant woman already undergoes a whole lot hormonal and emotional changes and with diabetes, it can lead to stress and other related diseases.

It is the hormonal changes in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy that increases the requirement of insulin. There are no specific symptoms for Gestational Diabetes, but frequent urination can be a sign that the mother needs to get checked for Diabetes.

Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes:

• Obesity: Women who gain a lot of weight during their pregnancy.
• History: Women who have suffered from diabetes in their first pregnancy.
• Genetic Disorder: Women whose family members have a history of suffering from Diabetes.
• Age: Women who get pregnant after the age of thirty five.
• Blood pressure: Women with high blood pressure, leading to stress.

A pregnant mother can prevent Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy by taking the necessary precautions. Regular checkups and follow ups, a healthy and holistic diet comprising of all the essential nutrients for the mother and child, light workouts like walking, yoga and stretching can help in preventing gestational diabetes.