The possibility of getting gestational diabetes is greater when you have pre-diabetes. Therefore, you should lower your blood glucose levels before conceiving.
Pre-diabetes develops when your body finds difficulty in using or making insulin. Due to this, the quantity of blood sugar in your bloodstream is more than usual although it has not yet reach the diabetic amount. Pre-diabetes is also known as impaired fasting glucose or IFG if the diagnosis is made with a fasting blood test. The condition is called impaired glucose tolerance or IGT if the diagnosis is made with a glucose tolerance test.
Pregnancy and Prediabetes
There is a possibility of getting gestational diabetes if you become pregnant when you have pre-diabetes. Gestational diabetes happens during the pregnancy and is diagnosed then.
For the body, pregnancy is stressful. Hormones released by the placenta can help to cause resistance to insulin and this lowers insulinâs function of regulating blood glucose levels. There is insufficient insulin produced by your pancreas to counteract this resistance and the blood sugar is unable to be absorbed into the cells, resulting in an unusual amount of blood glucose staying in the bloodstream.
Your baby and you can be affected by gestational diabetes. There is a greater chance of you getting type 2 diabetes after your babyâs delivery. Your baby can grow too big and there may be a need for a Caesarean birth. At birth, your baby also risk having low blood glucose levels.
Fortunately, there are ways to delay, if not prevent, diabetes from occurring although you may have had gestational diabetes or pre-diabetes.
It has been confirmed by the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study that a low-calorie, low-fat diet, weight loss and moderate exercise can assist to prevent or delay the occurrence of type 2 diabetes among even those with a background of gestational diabetes and with high risks.
Diabetes and Pregnancy – Video Guide
What do you know about prediabetes?
Will you certainly be progressing to type 2 diabetes or getting gestational diabetes if you get a pre-diabetes diagnosis? Fortunately, the answer is in your favor if you can lower your blood sugar levels to their normal range and lessen the risk of getting diabetes.
If you are diagnosed with pre-diabetes, there are certain actions you can take to maintain a safe blood sugar level and reduce the risks for gestational diabetes.
- Prepare for pregnancy. It is necessary to get your doctorâs help if you are planning for a baby. Find out from your doctor how you can be healthier before conceiving.
- Make lifestyle changes. To be healthier, you may need to make some changes to your lifestyle. The DPP study found that the chances of getting diabetes is reduced by 58 percent when changes in lifestyle such as moderate exercise and a diet low in fat are carried out for more than three years. Besides these, quitting smoking and avoiding alcoholic drinks are just as important to the health of both baby and mother.
- Make use of available assistance. Be aware that there are exercise counselors, nutritionists and dietitians who can provide you with the right exercise program and a suitable healthy diet to assist in reducing your chances of getting diabetes from before conceiving until after delivery of your child.
Taking control of prediabetes can be tough, but if you take an active part in improving your health, it can be done. Changes in lifestyle are essential to prevention. All it takes is regular exercise, a nutritious diet and assistance from healthcare professionals and your family.
Your baby and you will be safer if your chances of getting diabetes are lessened.