One of the diseases that usually occur during pregnancy is the gestational diabetes, an evil that affects some women who are in this state and that if left unchecked it can have serious consequences for your baby. Some of us are more likely than others to have it, so it is important to know it, even before conceiving.
First of all, what is gestational diabetes?
It is a kind of diabetes that only occurs in pregnancy, since the hormones that are secreted during that period interfere with the work done by insulin and therefore blood glucose levels are higher than normal. If left unchecked, it can lead to problems such as malformations in the baby, heart problems, obesity and can even put your life at risk.
To describe it in a simple way, every time we eat, we break down food to glucose. which is basically the fuel of the cells (that is, their food), but for them to use it, they need insulin (a hormone that secretes the pancreas). If we don't have enough insulin, The glucose remains in the blood.
This disease is usually more common than one thinks, since according to statistics, one in ten pregnant women presents it and the worst is that the trend is increasing, so it is highly recommended to perform tests to detect it.
How is it detected?
This is detected through the O'Sullivan test, a blood test of the mother and has a particular procedure: a first fasting sample should be taken (it is assumed that it is not mandatory, but My gynecologist ordered me not to eat anything before doing it), and then liquid glucose is administered (it is a very sweet drink). The patient must wait in the laboratory and an hour later another sample is taken again to assess how she behaves during that time.
The test is usually performed between the 24th and 28th week of gestation, although if you belong to a risk group (you have had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, there are family history of diabetes, the mother is overweight or if she has had a baby weighing more than 4 kilograms).
If the test yields a positive result (that is, if it is equal to or greater than 140 mg / dl of blood glucose), TTOG (or long glucose curve) is ordered, which as the name implies, is a test that lasts longer although the procedure is similar.
Can gestational diabetes be prevented?
Directly not because there are factors that predispose you to it like those mentioned above, although leading a healthy lifestyle before becoming pregnant can reduce the chances of getting it. Having an adequate weight and exercising regularly can be a decisive factor in health during pregnancy.
Once detected, how can it be controlled?
Since the disease is that the body does not metabolize sugar well, The solution lies in eating a diet controlled by the doctor or nutritionist. This is basically based on almost completely reducing its consumption and significantly reducing foods that become like some simple carbohydrates. In some cases, diet control is not enough, so insulin treatment may be necessary.
It is important not to skip any food, control the portions and eat several times a day. It is also highly recommended to exercise (previously consulting with our gynecologist the type of activity we can perform), since in this way we help the body to improve the level of blood sugar. Controls with the gynecologist should also be performed more frequently,
Am I at higher risk of developing diabetes after childbirth?
Although blood sugar levels in the mother usually return to normal after having the baby, unfortunately if she suffers from gestational diabetes you have a higher risk of suffering from type II diabetes after delivery (although the statistics are not very high). That is why it is important to definitely adopt some eating habits that have been acquired during pregnancy such as low sugar consumption and exercise.
Your doctor will probably order you to perform a blood test every so often (even after several years), to verify that sugar levels are in normal amounts.
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