Diabetes in pregnancy

Diabetes is a condition resulting from the failure of the body, the pancreas in particular to produce enough insulin, which is needed for the body to absorb sugar (glucose) into cells and process it.This may cause serious metabolic problems as there is an increase in blood sugar levels associated with long term damage and failure or organ functions. This affects the eyes, kidney, the heart and other vital organ of the body. Diabetes should be maintained regularly especially during pregnancy. The treatment do not only involve the obstetrician but also the diabetes expert, and the midwife. The condition however should not create havoc or anxiety but rather the pregnant woman should have close coordinated health maintenance to achieve better result.

Since a person with diabetes have problems with insulin production, the pregnant woman will be in insulin. There are also some instances when diabetes occur during pregnancy and ends when pregnancy ends too. This is called gestational diabetes

How can a woman have gestational diabetes?

• Have symptoms of increased water intake (feeling abnormally thirsty), urinary frequency and feeling hungry and peckish more often than normal
• Woman is overweight or obese.
• Have close relatives with diabetes
• Have a history of delivering large babies in the past
• Gain an excessive amount of weight during pregnancy
• Have a previous history of gestational diabetes
• Are aged thirty or over.

In the next posts, we will discuss what to do when you are diagnose with gestational diabetes and how to minimized the effects.