Services

What is Diabetes in Pregnancy?

Diabetes is a critical disease in which, one’s body cannot control the amounts of sugar in the blood due to the insufficiency of insulin. It is one of the most common medical concerns during pregnancy, and there are several steps that your healthcare provider and you can take to have a healthy and safe pregnancy.

What are the Causes and Symptoms of Diabetes in Pregnancy?

There are two main types of diabetes. They are:

• Type 1 Diabetes: This kind of diabetes is an autoimmune disease that needs a regular use of insulin. The symptoms of type 1 diabetes may include constant hunger, weight loss, increased thirst and urination, blurred vision, and fatigue. This condition is often diagnosed in children and young adults.

• Type 2 Diabetes: This kind of diabetes is one of the most common forms of diabetes and often associated with older age, family history, obesity, physical inactivity and a previous history of gestational diabetes. The symptoms of type 2 diabetes include infections of the bladder or kidney, increased thirst and urination, fatigue and constant hunger. This condition can be more prevalent in certain ethnic groups.

What are the Risks for Diabetes in Pregnancy and How Can It Affect an Unborn Child?

There are quite a few potentially adverse health risks for the baby when the mother has diabetes. The risks include:

• Macrosomia: This is a condition in which the baby grows too large due to the excess amounts of insulin that cross the placenta. A large baby can cause difficulty in a vaginal delivery as well as increase the risks of injury to the baby during the process of birth.

• Hypoglycaemia: Also, known as low blood sugar, this condition can develop soon after birth due to the high levels of insulin. Controlling the blood sugar can help lower the risks of this condition for your baby.

• Jaundice: A yellowish discoloration of the eyes and skin, Jaundice can sometimes be attributed to diabetes while pregnant. Visiting a paediatric will help alleviate this condition for your newborn.

How Can Diabetes in Pregnancy be Treated?

Whether you already pregnant or trying to conceive, managing diabetes in pregnancy is the key to good health for both, your baby and you. Diabetes in pregnancy treatment includes:

• Managing your blood glucose levels regularly and monitoring the health of your child and you.

• Developing a healthy meal plan that includes a diet for pregnant women with diabetes. This will help prioritise nutrition and will assist in controlling the blood sugar both, before and after conception.

• Staying physically active.

• Ensuring that your doctor knows about the current medications that you are following, particularly, for diabetes.

• Making appointments with high-risk specialists such as a perinatologist who treats women with high-risk pregnancies or an endocrinologist who treats women with diabetes or other health conditions.

Apollo Experience

Apollo Clinic’s Obstetrics Department understands the importance of your health and provides you with all the support you need. With state-of-the-art facilities and a team of skilled obstetricians in the country, we promise to offer you with the best consultation, advice, diagnosis and treatments for all your obstetric conditions, including diabetes in pregnancy.