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| Diabetes and Pregnancy | If you are pregnant and you are diabetic you need much to know about this unique challenge. Of course, diabetes may effect on your and your baby’s health, but you can do much to promote healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. Physical condition for pregnant women with gestational diabetes (type 1) is different than it is for women with type 2. For both types of diabetes severe glucose control is necessary, because of fetus’s glucose demand, which leads to lower fasting blood glucose levels and increased blood glucose levels after meals. The way out is taking insulin, as it doesn’t enter the placenta and doesn’t directly affect the fetus. Although, there is risk of hypoglycemia for fetus from women who exercises or take insulin to control her glucose level. Hypoglycemia has a direct effect on fetus causing poor fetal health, excess fetal growth that may interfere with vaginal delivery and diabetic ketoacidosis. The risk of complications is lower for women who led active way of life before pregnancy, than those who started exercising after become pregnant. Comparing the importance of exercising and glucose control, it has been pointed out that the last one still should prevail. Also be aware of the contraindications to exercise during pregnancy.
You Should:
1. Ask for a help in a health care team. Health care team will probably include endocrinologist or other diabetes specialists, a diabetes educator and a registered dietitian. All they will help you to manage your blood sugar level and adjust your diabetes treatment plan during pregnancy. Consultations of other specialists are also needed. An obstetrician will carefully monitor mother’s and baby’s health condition throughout the pregnancy and could handle high-risk pregnancy. An eye specialist can monitor diabetes-related damage in your eyes during pregnancy. A pediatrician will take care of your child after its birth.
2. Control your blood sugar level so that to prevent diabetes complications. Healthy eating is a cornerstone of your treatment plan, try to eat the same amount of food at the same time every day or consume the same amount of carbohydrates at each meal. Coordinate medications, especially insulin. Consult the doctor.
3. Take everyday exercise. Regular physical activity improves your body’s response to insulin. Adjust your diabetes treatment plan, meaning taking exercise before or after getting insulin dose. Drink plenty of fluids.
Blood sugar control can reduce :
• The risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.
• The risk of birth defects.
• The risk of excess growth
• The risk of complication for both mom and baby.
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