Is Gestational diabetes dangerous for me and my baby?

Pregnant women with high blood sugar levels are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is common in 5% of pregnant women around the world.

The baby gets most of the food from placenta. Hormones from the placenta help the baby grow. But, some hormones restrict insulin production too. This results insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels in your body. The body ceases to produce and use insulin which is needed to convert glucose into energy.

How gestational diabetes affects your baby?

Gestational diabetes occurs in the seventh month of pregnancy. The doctors conduct a Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) to diagnose your blood sugar levels. If they are high, your body will need more insulin than the normal levels. If the high blood sugar levels are not controlled, high glucose passes to the baby. This will make the baby’s body to produce more insulin and stresses the baby’s pancreas.

If the baby has high glucose levels, the baby may turn fat, making your delivery (normal and caesarean) difficult. Further, high blood sugar levels in the baby may result in ‘macrosomia’ and breathing problems after birth.

How to treat gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes can be treated by taking insulin shots daily based on the sugar levels in the body. The pregnant mother needs to control her blood sugar levels by taking insulin shots. The insulin injections have to be continued until delivery. 

The treatment also involves food restrictions and regular exercise. Scheduled physical activity helps to control the blood sugar levels in a pregnant woman. Treating gestational diabetes results in safe delivery of the baby. Further, it reduces future complications for the mother and baby.

How to manage gestational diabetes after pregnancy?

After the baby is delivered, the mother has to check her blood sugar levels monthly. In most of the cases, the diabetes ceases after delivery. But, in some cases, diabetes tends to continue even years after the delivery. In this case, the mother has to get checked for type 2 diabetes and take appropriate treatment.

If the mother doesn’t treat her diabetes, her future deliveries might get complicated. Also her natural health gets disrupted. Following certain healthy lifestyle changes might help manage diabetes after pregnancy.