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Gestational diabetes occurs in women at about the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy. It is similar to type 2 diabetes in that the body develops insulin resistance rather than stops producing insulin completely. However the insulin that is produced is not effective in reducing the glucose levels in the blood. This leads to high blood sugar levels or hyperglycemia that can have adverse consequences for both mother and baby. This article will describe typical symptoms of the disease, how it is diagnosed and how it is treated. It will show how a gestational diabetic diet is important for controlling diabetes in conjunction with other treatments.
Why women get gestational diabetes is still a bit of a mystery. Studies have suggested that obesity, a family history of this condition or an excessive amount of amniotic fluid can increase the risk of being affected. Despite this criteria, it is often very hard to spot the signs of gestational diabetes because of the normal changes that are occurring in the woman’s body at this time. It is easy to think that excessive thirst or frequent urination might be down to the strains that are placed on the body due to pregnancy for example.
In truth, common symptoms of the condition are very similar to type 2 diabetes. These include:
Excessive thirst or polydipsia,
Polyuria or frequent urination,
Constant hunger is another common symptom.
Other symptoms might include:
Weight loss,
Blurred vision
and a general irritability.
Most women will be monitored by their health provider regularly during pregnancy. This is the best time to voice any unusual symptoms and should lead to a formal test. Even if there are no outward signs, all women should be screened for gestational diabetes in the second trimester of their pregnancy.
A screening for the condition involves taking a number of tests. These are known as oral glucose tests. The woman will consume an amount of glucose either in a drink or some food. Her blood glucose reading will be taken at regular intervals afterwards. From these readings it will be obvious if the glucose is decreasing, staying the same or, in fact, rising. This data will be enough for the doctor to diagnose diabetes or something else.
If a woman is diagnosed with gestational diabetes there are three methods of treatment. The first is to adopt a gestational diabetic diet. This has to be formulated for individual requirements based on age and size by a dietitian. The meal plan is based on the diabetic food pyramid. This is a diagrammatic representation of the best type of foods to eat to control blood sugar levels whilst maintaining a health, balanced diet.
The food pyramid not only gives the types of foods to eat but the quantities in relation to each other. Thus it will advise that 4 servings of carbohydrates be eaten to one serving of oils or protein products. It will advise to avoid sweet and sugary products. In general, whole grain foodstuffs and fresh fruit and vegetables are good foods to eat but they must deliver a desired calorific count that is agreed by the patient and their dietitian.
The other ways of controlling gestational diabetes are through exercise and insulin therapy. The patient should agree with their doctor on the type of exercise that will be pursued. It should involve some aerobic exercise for best control of blood sugar. Insulin therapy can be either through medication to make the best less insulin resistant or by injecting insulin.
Controlling Gestational Diabetes With A Gestational Diabetic Diet
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