Gestational Diabetes Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

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Gestational Diabetes Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Understanding

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. This condition can occur because it is triggered by changes in glucose metabolism during pregnancy, especially for gestational ages over 6 months.

This disease usually threatens pregnant women who are overweight, have a family history of diabetes and have given birth to babies weighing up to 4 kg. In addition, women who have a history of giving birth to dead babies and a history of abortions more than once (especially in conditions with high blood sugar levels) are also at high risk.

Symptom

Gestational diabetes usually doesn’t show clear symptoms, so you have to do an examination to detect this disease. However, there are some conditions that you can suspect as a symptom, such as:

  • Vision becomes blurred
  • Easily tired
  • Frequent infections when injured, for example on the skin to the vagina
  • Frequent urination
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Weight loss despite an increase in appetite

In pregnant women who suffer from diabetes, it will usually raise the possibility of a cesarean section and give birth to a baby with the following conditions:

  • Babies born with excess body weight up to 4 kg.
  • Calcium levels in the body are low to below normal limits.
  • Too low blood sugar levels below normal limits. This can happen several hours after the baby is born.
  • Many red blood cells die and break down to produce a yellow pigment in blood, urine and feces. This can cause the body’s skin to turn yellow.
  • The baby’s respiratory condition is obstructed so that it is difficult to breathe.
  • The risk of fetal death at birth, because when giving birth the fetus’s shoulder can get stuck.

Reason

The main thing that can trigger gestational diabetes is the hormone insulin, which cannot function properly. Because during pregnancy, there are hormones that block the insulin hormone, as a result, sugar will spike sharply.

In addition, things that can cause gestational diabetes are:

  • There is a history of diabetes in the close family tree.
  • Have a weight exceeding normal body weight.
  • Have given birth to a baby weighing more than 4 kg.

Diagnosis

Examination needed for gestational diabetes is an examination of blood sugar levels, internal organs, and muscles through ultrasonography (USG). This is to detect abnormalities in the fetus.

When you start to feel the symptoms of gestational diabetes, immediately do a blood test to detect it. Most pregnant women experience similar symptoms between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy. However, if you feel them early in your pregnancy, your doctor may decide to test you early in your pregnancy.

During the test, you will be given a sugar-sweetened drink and your blood will be drawn three times every hour to test your sugar level. The blood test can later help confirm the diagnosis. If the test results are found to be abnormal, you may have gestational diabetes.

In addition, if you are detected to have complications during pregnancy, it is better to do additional tests to find out the health of your fetus. This additional test is useful for checking the condition of the placental cord which is the organ that distributes oxygen and nutrients from mother to baby. This is important because when you have gestational diabetes, the placental cord that doesn’t work properly can endanger the viability of the fetus in the womb.

Treatment

Monitoring of sugar levels in the body is highly recommended for people with gestational diabetes. The goal is that pregnant women can control their daily food intake.

In addition to monitoring sugar levels, gestational diabetes sufferers are advised to carry out the following therapies:

  • Diet by regulating nutritional intake
    This therapy aims to provide adequate nutrition for the mother and fetus, control blood sugar levels, and prevent an increase in carbon levels in the blood due to lack of carbohydrates.
  • Sports Exercise
    is useful for improving body condition, especially cycling and upper body exercise. In addition, you are also advised to feel the uterus yourself when exercising. If contractions occur, stop the exercise immediately.
  • Insulin treatment
    Administration of insulin at a certain dose was recommended by The American Diabetes Association in 1999 when diet therapy failed. This therapy is usually recommended for pregnant women with severe diabetes. In fact, to save the fetus, doctors may recommend that the pregnancy be terminated earlier at 36 to 38 weeks—especially if the pregnancy is followed by other complications, such as high blood pressure or obesity.

Gestational diabetes can be prevented by implementing the following things:

  • Check blood sugar regularly. If you already feel the symptoms of gestational diabetes, do regular checks before severe complications occur in the fetus.
  • Routine check-ups. Carry out obstetric examinations in accordance with applicable regulations and according to gestational age.
  • Reduce sugar. Replace your intake of foods that contain high levels of sugar with foods that contain protein, vegetables, and fruit.
  • Stay active. Don’t limit your daily activities too much during pregnancy. Moderate exercise during pregnancy will not worsen the condition of pregnancy. Consult with your doctor about sports that are safe to do during pregnancy.

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