What Are the Risks of Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes, the form of the condition which affects just pregnant women, is believed to occur in 10 percent of expectant mothers. There is some good news, which is that it usually disappears after you’ve given birth, but it can make your pregnancy more trying. Having a good understanding of the condition and how to live with it is the best port of call, as this will ensure you don’t take any risks with you or your baby’s health during this time. When you eat food, your body breaks it down into simple sugars or glucose which is turned into energy. Insulin makes sure that this is readily absorbed into the cells so that it can be utilised, but when you have diabetes the body doesn’t produce enough insulin. This means that too much glucose stays in the blood and in pregnant women, the hormonal changes can incur a change in the insulin production. You usually have a blood sugar test when you’re at 24 to 28 weeks pregnant, which will reveal if you have high levels of glucose in your blood. If this is the case, your GP will recommend a glucose tolerance test to determine if you have gestational diabetes. You could be more at risk if you’re obese and have a BMI of over 30, if you have a family history of diabetes, if you have high blood pressure, or if you’ve given birth to a very large baby before – this would be a child of over eight or nine pounds.

 

So how does it affect your baby? For most women who develop gestational diabetes, the infants are born without any health problems. Your GP will advise of strict dietary changes and safe exercises so that you can bring your blood sugar levels down. They may even suggest medication in certain cases. Controlling your blood sugar levels is vital in order to keep you and your baby healthy. If you don’t achieve this, you risk too much glucose ending up in the blood of your baby which puts more stress on their developing pancreas’ to produce enough insulin to cope. In some cases, the baby becomes overweight in the womb, and then this makes labour more difficult. Your GP will advise of the ways to keep your blood sugars down, but this will include eating a balanced diet which has the right quantities of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as all of the essential vitamins and minerals. They’ll advise of the best safe exercises to increase your heart rate and improve your body’s reaction to insulin, too. If these changes fail to make a difference to your diabetes, they will prescribe shots of insulin to bring the glucose levels down.

 

The right diet can be enormously helpful in controlling this problem, and will help you avoid any medications or insulin injections as well. Some of the best ways include lowering your intake of carbs, which turn into glucose in the body. You shouldn’t skip any meals or snacks, as you need to stick to a balanced eating plan. Your blood sugar levels only stabilise if you eat smaller quantities and eat at regular times, every day. So, it isn’t just the right meal plan which is important, but also how you eat it – this includes eating breakfast every day. With your beverages, you should avoid those which have simple sugars in them – this includes flavoured water, juices, flavoured teas and aerated drinks. If you really can’t do without your sweet fix, ask your GP if you can use sweeteners, or you can switch to honey.

Categories: Blood, Blood Sugar, diet, Gestational Diabetes, Glucose, Insulin, pregnancy, Pregnant Women, safe exercises, Simple Sugars, sugar levels

Could A New Test Identify Gestational Diabetes?

Researchers in Japan have discovered a new blood test which could help to predict gestational diabetes in the first trimester. Women in the top quartile for serum soluble (pro)renin receptor in the first 14 weeks gestation are reportedly three times more likely to develop gestational diabetes compared to those with the lowest levels. The study showed that the test has good predictive accuracy – the study was carried out by Tokyo Women’s Medical University. The group in the study previously showed that the biomarker, which shows activation of the renin-angiotensin system, also predicted the development of hypertension during pregnancy as well. Gestational diabetes is generally tested with an oral glucose test or a tolerance test at between 24 and 28 weeks gestation. The earlier that GPs can identify this condition, the easier it will be to limit complications associated with it.

 

The study involved over 700 women who had no signs of pre-existing diabetes – they were seen during the first trimester of a singleton pregnancy. During the pregnancy, six percent of the women developed the condition having been diagnosed with a 75g oral glucose test, following a positive screen with the standard tests. These women in the group had higher serum soluble (pro)renin receptor levels than those who didn’t develop gestational diabetes. Researchers stated that there could be a possibility of misclassification due to a false negative glucose challenge test result and the single measurement of soluble (pro)renin receptor levels, under non-uniform circumstances. They advised that further tests would need to be carried out to clarify whether soluble (pro)renin receptors contribute to the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes. If you think you may be showing signs of diabetes during your pregnancy, it is important that you seek medical advice from your nurse or GP so as to receive the correct treatment.

Categories: Gestational Diabetes, new study, pregnancy

Could a Common Pregnancy Condition Cause Diabetes?

If your wellness is affected by one of two common conditions in pregnancy, your future wellbeing may be at risk to diabetes. This is according to a Canadian study of over one million women, published in PLOS Medicine, which found that pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension may be risk factors for future diabetes.

Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy condition in which you have high blood pressure, fluid retention and protein in your urine, while gestational hypertension describes high blood pressure associated with pregnancy. The researchers found that either of these conditions could double your chances of developing  diabetes years after pregnancy, and this risk is even higher if you have gestational diabetes – diabetes only associated with pregnancy, and already a known risk factor for later diabetes.

About 8% of all pregnancies are affected by disorders involving a raised blood pressure in pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension. The study, led by Denice Feig from the University of Toronto, is important is it highlights new potential risk factors for diabetes. This indicates that your doctor could be advised to screen for the disease if you have a history of pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension.

For their study, the researchers identified all women delivering in an Ontario hospital between April 1994 and March 2008 who had pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes, or a combination of these conditions. They did this using a comprehensive Canadian health database, and then investigated whether these women went on to develop diabetes in the period from 180 days after delivery until March 2011.

The results showed that 3.5% of women developed diabetes in the follow-up period. This was 1.95 times more likely to develop in women with gestational hypertension alone, 2.08 times more likely in women with pre-eclampsia alone, and 12.77 times more likely in women with gestational diabetes alone. When these risk factors were combined with gestational diabetes, they jumped to 18.49 times higher for gestational hypertension and 15.75 times higher for pre-eclampsia.

According to the study authors, ‘In this large, population-based study, we found that the presence of either pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension during pregnancy were strong predictors for the development of diabetes [in the] years following the pregnancy, and the presence of pre-eclampsia or gestational hypertension in a woman with a history of gestational diabetes, increased the risk of diabetes over and above that observed with gestational diabetes alone.’

Could a Common Pregnancy Condition Cause Diabetes?

Categories: blood pressure, Gestational Diabetes, gestational hypertension, high blood, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy condition, Research, risk factors, times higher

How to Reduce Your Risk of Post-Pregnancy Type 2 Diabetes

If you develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you have a significant wellness risk of getting type 2 diabetes either soon after giving birth or within the next ten or more years. However, according to a new study, which appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine, you can greatly reduce that risk by eating certain healthy diet options.

Gestational diabetes can affect your baby’s and your wellbeing in a number of ways, including having a large baby (which has several associated risks during labour and delivery) and your baby having very low blood glucose levels and/or breathing problems. Notably, gestational diabetes increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later on in life, but until now few studies have examined modifiable risk factors which could help you prevent the disease. For the new research, 4,413 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study II, and who had a history of gestational diabetes, were followed from 1991 through to 2005 using a food frequency questionnaire which was completed every four years.

Using a point system, the researchers evaluated three dietary patterns; the alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and alternate Healthy Eating Index (aHEI). These dietary approaches were chosen because they have been shown to reduce risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the general population, and all are based on a good intake of fruits and vegetables, low consumption of red and processed meats, carbohydrate quality, and low intake of saturated fats.

The results of the study were that all three dietary approaches were associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but with varying degrees of effectiveness. The aHEI diet pattern, which was distinct from the others in advocating long-term use of multivitamins, greater fibre intake from cereals and an emphasis of white over dark meat, was associated with a 57% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The DASH diet, on the other hand, was linked to a 46% lower risk, and aMED to a still significant 40% lower risk.

Therefore, the researchers concluded that a healthy diet can help women with a history of gestational diabetes reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, noting that a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and select white meat, seafood, legumes, and nuts for protein, is preferable. The authors also encouraged reducing your intake of red and processed meats and avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages.

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How to Reduce Your Risk of Post-Pregnancy Type 2 Diabetes

Categories: diet, Gestational Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

How to Reduce Your Risk of Post-Pregnancy Type 2 Diabetes

If you develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you have a significant wellness risk of getting type 2 diabetes either soon after giving birth or within the next ten or more years. However, according to a new study, which appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine, you can greatly reduce that risk by eating certain healthy diet options.

Gestational diabetes can affect your baby’s and your wellbeing in a number of ways, including having a large baby (which has several associated risks during labour and delivery) and your baby having very low blood glucose levels and/or breathing problems. Notably, gestational diabetes increases your risk for type 2 diabetes later on in life, but until now few studies have examined modifiable risk factors which could help you prevent the disease. For the new research, 4,413 women who participated in the Nurses’ Health Study II, and who had a history of gestational diabetes, were followed from 1991 through to 2005 using a food frequency questionnaire which was completed every four years.

Using a point system, the researchers evaluated three dietary patterns; the alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED), Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), and alternate Healthy Eating Index (aHEI). These dietary approaches were chosen because they have been shown to reduce risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in the general population, and all are based on a good intake of fruits and vegetables, low consumption of red and processed meats, carbohydrate quality, and low intake of saturated fats.

The results of the study were that all three dietary approaches were associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but with varying degrees of effectiveness. The aHEI diet pattern, which was distinct from the others in advocating long-term use of multivitamins, greater fibre intake from cereals and an emphasis of white over dark meat, was associated with a 57% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. The DASH diet, on the other hand, was linked to a 46% lower risk, and aMED to a still significant 40% lower risk.

Therefore, the researchers concluded that a healthy diet can help women with a history of gestational diabetes reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future, noting that a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and select white meat, seafood, legumes, and nuts for protein, is preferable. The authors also encouraged reducing your intake of red and processed meats and avoiding sugar-sweetened beverages.

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How to Reduce Your Risk of Post-Pregnancy Type 2 Diabetes

Categories: diet, Gestational Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes

What are the Signs of Gestational Diabetes Post-Pregnancy?

Diabetes affects more than three percent of pregnancies in the UK, known as gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Generally, it affects women in the first trimester and can generally be controlled through one’s diet. It is something to monitor though, as women suffering with gestational diabetes are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the first five years after the birth of their baby. In the first six weeks after birth, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommend that you have your blood glucose levels checked, switching to annual check-ups after this. According to studies, just 13 percent of women with gestational diabetes receive the right treatment and care after birth.

According to researchers, there has been a huge rise in the number of cases of gestational diabetes in recent years. Scientists suggest that tests for this condition should be offered routinely in order to diagnose it early, and that women should be confident in speaking to their GP about follow-up checks after the birth itself. This is one of the best ways of reducing the number of women developing postnatal type 2 diabetes. If you’re worried about remembering to check in with your GP, ask your surgery to set up an alert so that you can book appointments at the various stages for check-ups.

Your lifestyle plays a big part in your risk of diabetes at any stage, so you should aim to lower your intake of fat and sugar, replacing them with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Likewise, you should aim to increase your exercise to burn calories, maintain a healthy weight and keep your body functioning effectively. You can speak to your GP about how to go about changing your lifestyle in place of healthier choices. The main changes should be a balanced diet and a healthy dose of physical activity to improve your overall wellbeing.

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Categories: Gestational Diabetes, lifestyle, pregnancy

Insulin Pump Rental Scheme Removes Need for Daily Injections

Gestational diabetes is a common problem that affects women in pregnancy. Diabetes is a condition that is usually life-long and in which a person’s blood sugar levels are too high. The condition is caused because the body cannot produce enough insulin to function properly and requires medication to regulate insulin levels.

There are two main types – type 1 and type 2, and gestational diabetes is similar to type 2. During pregnancy, some women – particularly those who are overweight or who have a history of abortions – will have higher than normal levels of glucose in the blood and their body cannot produce enough insulin to convert that into cells.

Insulin injections administered four times daily are needed to maintain the correct levels of glucose while the woman’s bloody sugar levels have to be monitored six to eight times every day. All of this is an added inconvenience at a time when a woman is already dealing with her pregnancy.

One solution is to use an insulin pump instead of injections. But the pumps can be expensive to buy and as a woman with gestational diabetes is unlikely to continue to have the condition once she gives birth, for many it’s an unnecessary expense. In India, they have come up with a solution by allowing pregnant women to rent an insulin pump for the duration of their pregnancy.

A pilot project involving a dozen mums-to-be provided them with the insulin pump and none reported any complications during the six months they used the equipment.

Unlike an injection, an insulin pump is non-invasive – it is connected to the body, usually the abdomen, by a canula and delivers insulin to the body regularly.

The innovative rental scheme has proved to be a successful addition to the treatment of gestational diabetes by allowing pregnant women to take control of their own insulin levels without the inconvenience of injections and all at an affordable price.

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Insulin Pump Rental Scheme Removes Need for Daily Injections

Categories: Gestational Diabetes, insulin pump, rental scheme

Is Cycling the Key to Preventing Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that affects pregnant women and puts both them and their children at risk of developing type 2 diabetes in later life. Diabetes is caused when there is too much glucose (sugar) in the blood. During pregnancy, women will naturally have higher levels of glucose and their body cannot produce enough insulin to process the glucose and turn it into cells.

In pregnancy, the condition is controlled through diet and exercise, although some women with particularly severe diabetes may need medication. Now an Australian research team is testing whether regular exercise can actually prevent gestational diabetes from re-occurring.

Once a woman has had gestational diabetes in one pregnancy, she is at a higher risk of developing it in subsequent pregnancies. Their babies are not only at risk of going on to develop type 2 diabetes but also of becoming obese

The Perth study involves 200 high-risk women taking part in a stationary cycling program run by the University of Western Australia’s School of Women’s and Infants’ Health and the School of Sports Science, Exercise and Health. The study follows previous research that identified stationary cycling as providing the maximum preventative benefit for high-risk women.

In the Cycle Study, the 200 participants are provided with a stationary bike for the home with a visit three times a week by a personal trainer who will supervise the training. Over a 14-week period, the research team will compare their rates of gestational diabetes with the rates of participants in a control group who are doing normal levels of physical activity.

The researchers will also measure the effect of this exercise on other health outcomes such as weight gain, mobility, sleep quality, fitness and psychological wellbeing.

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Is Cycling the Key to Preventing Gestational Diabetes?

Categories: Cycling, Gestational Diabetes, risk