What causes gestational diabetes?
The reason for the development of such a disorder in expectant mothers is a decrease in the sensitivity of the cells of the body to the hormone insulin, i.e. the so-called insulin resistance. This is due to changes in the hormonal background in pregnant women.
So, it is established that starting from the 20th week of pregnancy in a woman, the concentration of insulin in the blood increases. The reason for this is the partial blocking of the hormone by those biological compounds that the placenta itself synthesizes. At the same time there is an increase in the synthesis of the hormone by the pancreas, which tries to maintain the sugar level in the norm in this way. This phenomenon in medicine has been called the counterinsulin effect.
It is also necessary to say that there are so-called factors contributing to the development of violations. Among them are:
- overweight;
- presence of diabetes in the next of kin (genetic predisposition);
- the birth of a large baby in a previous pregnancy;
- polyhydramnios;
- incompetence.
What symptoms indicate the development of gestational diabetes in pregnancy?
It is worth noting that in most cases, the woman who is carrying the baby does not notice any changes. She learns about the presence of the disorder after the blood test for glucose level.
So, according to existing norms, this parameter should have the following values: when giving blood fasting 4.0-5.2 mmol / l, and 2 hours after eating no more than 6.7 mmol / l. These indicators are valid for those cases when blood sampling for analysis is made directly from the vein.
To identify gestational diabetes mellitus at short notice, this kind of diagnosis is prescribed to all pregnant women without exception, even when registering. In those cases where the blood glucose concentration reaches the upper limit of these values or exceeds them, the analysis is repeated to ascertain the correctness of the results.
With a severe degree of impairment, when the glucose concentration exceeds the norm by one or more, the following may be noted:
- a constant thirst;
- increased urination and an increase in daily diuresis;
- impaired vision.
How is treatment of gestational diabetes treated?
Those women who have undergone this disease, doctors primarily give instructions to revise their daily diet. The emphasis is not only on the content of sugar and carbohydrates in food, but also on the calorie content of foods.
With the development of gestational diabetes during pregnancy, a woman is recommended a diet that enforces the following rules:
- Food should be taken in small portions, 3 times a day. In this case, not more than two additional, intermediate "snack" will be superfluous. Breakfast should contain 40-45% carbohydrates, and for dinner they should be 10-15%.
- From the diet it is necessary to completely eliminate fatty, as well as fried foods. At the same time, the use of easily assimilated carbohydrates (confectionery, pastry, fruit) is limited.
- You can not eat instant food.
Also, during the treatment of diabetes gestational diabetes during pregnancy,
If we talk about the possible consequences of the disorder, the fetus may have asphyxia, traumatism in labor, respiratory distress (respiratory distress syndrome), hypoglycemia, diabetic fetopathy (large sizes, weight 4 kg or more, violation of body proportions, swelling of tissues and t .).
In women, after giving birth, there is a high probability of developing type 2 diabetes. During gestation, diabetic nephropathy (impaired renal function), retinopathy (retinal pathology), increased risk of developing conditions such as preeclampsia and eclampsia , postpartum bleeding.