Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that is diagnosed as high blood sugar during pregnancy. It is caused by the hormones secreted by the placenta, which have anti-insulin effects, which are neutralized by the secretion of insulin by the mother’s pancreatic cells, but the amount of insulin secreted by susceptible people is not enough to compensate.
An abnormal increase in blood sugar during pregnancy can lead to maternal and fetal complications, so its prevention and control during pregnancy is essential.
Gestational diabetes is first diagnosed during pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes is often asymptomatic. This is the reason why blood sugar is measured in all pregnant women between 24 and 28 weeks.This work is usually done in one or two steps and using sugar solutions with different concentrations (50, 75 or 100 grams) according to the opinion of the doctor. Rarely, gestational diabetes may be accompanied by a severe increase in blood sugar and symptoms, in which case the mother becomes more thirsty, hungry, and has frequent urination than usual, but these are common symptoms during pregnancy and do not necessarily indicate gestational diabetes.
However, if the risk of developing gestational diabetes in the mother is higher (such as a history of gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy) or if she has symptoms of diabetes (such as the presence of sugar in the urine), blood sugar measurement at the first visit during pregnancy and After that, if the result of the first test is negative, it will be done between 24 and 28 weeks. A mild high blood sugar is not a reason for gestational diabetes, but the patient should be tested again for a definite diagnosis according to the doctor’s opinion.
Gestational diabetes is often asymptomatic
These complications can be examined under two groups of maternal and fetal complications:
Maternal complications: high blood pressure (preeclampsia or pre-eclampsia), premature rupture of the amniotic sac, premature birth, and urinary infections in the second half of pregnancy.
Fetal complications: excessive growth of the fetus (macrosoma), difficulty in childbirth due to the large fetus, hypoglycemia or calcium deficiency in the baby. Proper blood sugar control during pregnancy reduces the possibility of the above complications.
If you have gestational diabetes, use enough fiber foods
– In case of gestational diabetes:
Use all food groups in your meal plan.
Try to use the food you use more often and with less volume (in 3 main meals and 2-3 snacks).
Getting sugary foods such as sweets, sugar, sugar, honey, dates can be used in very small amounts with the opinion of a nutritionist.
– Minimize the consumption of sweets according to the opinion of a nutritionist.
Consume starchy foods such as bread, rice, potatoes and pasta in the amount recommended by the nutritionist.
Be sure to use fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains daily.
Remember that you need milk and dairy products more than when you are not pregnant.
Note: A suitable diet is a diet that meets the needs of the mother and the fetus, and avoids long-term fasting, leading to an increase in the required weight during pregnancy. Therefore, staying constant or losing weight is not desirable in any way during pregnancy.
Exercise helps control gestational diabetes
Exercising with appropriate intensity and duration is helpful in controlling gestational diabetes and should be recommended to all women with gestational diabetes who do not have restrictions on physical activity or do not experience discomfort. Among the sports, aerobic sports are more suitable and walking is the most accessible of them. The duration of exercise is at least 30 minutes a day, which can be divided into two or three parts (10 to 15 minutes each time). The intensity of exercise should be moderate and faster than normal walking. Exercising does not require leaving the house, such as jogging in place.
Insulin injection to control gestational diabetes has no harm to mother and fetus
In some cases, non-pharmacological measures are not able to maintain blood sugar in the appropriate range, and the pregnant mother needs to use medicine, which is usually insulin, but in special cases and with the doctor’s opinion, oral medicines such as metformin can also be used. Your doctor will teach you how to inject insulin. This is done using syringes or insulin pens.
Note: starting insulin does not mean giving up diet and exercise, and these two should be continued in harmony with medication. Also, insulin injection has no harm to you and your fetus because it cannot be transferred to the placenta through blood vessels, on the contrary, using insulin when needed and controlling blood sugar within the appropriate range can lead to a reduction in maternal and fetal complications.
