Having gestational diabetes during pregnancy can mean that too much sugar is passed to your developing baby, increasing their risk of becoming diabetic later in life. Following a well planned gestational diabetes diet can reduce this risk by controlling the level of sugar in your blood, and reducing the amount that is passed to your baby via the placenta.
There are other issues that can arise from your baby receiving too much sugar. The main problem will be that your baby could grow exceptionally large, causing difficulties with delivery. Overweight babies have a much higher chance of being born by caesarean section and experiencing birth complications than normal weight babies.
- What causes gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a temporary form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy, but usually disappears after the baby is born. The condition can develop when the mother’s body is unable to produce enough insulin to meet the increasing needs of their developing baby. Insulin levels can also be affected by pregnancy hormones, which can limit its production.
Controlling your condition with a good gestational diabetes diet plan is crucial for the health of mother and baby. Nutritionist Bridget Swinney says;
“When large amounts of glucose accumulate in your blood, it means that your cells aren’t getting the fuels they need. High blood sugar can be harmful for you and your developing baby, so it is important to try to control it".
- Consult a dietician to put together your gestational diabetes diet plan
Your gestational diabetes diet plan will depend on a number of factors so it is important to consult a professional to ensure the wellbeing of you and your baby. Your diet plan will be based on the following issues:
- How many calories you need each day - Your height and weight - Your level of activity - The particular needs of your baby - Your level of glucose intolerance
Another important issue in creating your gestational diabetes diet plan is to include foods that you actually like. Any mother will know that pregnancy is a time when food can provide enormous comfort, and trying to stick to a strict diabetes diet that does not include foods you enjoy will be very difficult.
- Here are some general tips for creating a gestational diabetes diet plan:
1. Eat small meals and snacks throughout the day instead of big meals that will suddenly increase your blood sugar levels. Towards the end of your pregnancy small meals will be more comfortable for you to eat anyway.
2. Don’t skip meals, and make sure you eat breakfast, even if you have morning sickness, as your blood sugar levels are at their most irregular first thing in the morning.
3. General pregnancy nutrition advice may recommend fruit juice and flavored teas. These should not form part of your gestational diabetes diet plan as they can increase your blood sugar very quickly.
4. You will need a good source of calcium for your developing baby, but look for alternatives to milk which contains high levels of lactose, a simple sugar which will increase your blood sugar level. Two or three small glasses of milk a day are the maximum for your gestational diabetes diet plan
Developing Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy carries a 15 to 60 percent chance of developing Non-Insulin Dependent (Type II) after pregnancy within a 5 to15 year period of time. It is important to determine the significant risk factors that lead to Type II diabetes as this disease has reached epidemic proportions around the world. From 1994 to 2002, the incidence of gestational diabetes doubled to now involve 7 percent of pregnancies. This has an increased maternal and neonatal morbidity which includes but is not limited to elevated blood pressure, preeclampsia, eclampsia, placental abruption, maternal kidney disease, increased susceptibility to premature delivery, increased incidence of C-sections, uterine infection, bacteria in the blood, maternal death, fetal macrosomia (large infant) hypoglycemia of the infant, prematurity of the lungs even late in the third trimester, increased risk or neonatal infection, hyperbilirubenemia, intrauterine fetal death, and perinatal mortality.
By knowing the risk factors that lead to a higher incidence of gestational diabetes, there is hope to be able to prevent them before, during, or after the pregnancy in order to reduce the complications mentioned above associated with the immediate problems with gestational diabetes.
When patients are diagnosed with Non-insulin dependent diabetes, there are a host of complications and risk factors that occur: increased risk of heart, peripheral vascular, kidney, eye, and neurologic diseases such as heart attacks, angina, pain in legs when walking (claudication , kidney failure, blindness, stroke, transient ischemic attack, loss of balance when walking and unable to feel feet due to peripheral nerve damage.
Several studies show three factors that lead to highest risk for women developing Type II diabetes after having gestational diabetes in pregnancy:
1) BMI (Basal Metabolic Index) > 27
Patients have a 4 to 8 fold chance of developing Type II diabetes whose BMI is greater than 27
2) Developing gestational diabetes before 24 weeks gestation
Patients who develop gestational diabetes after 24 weeks have less chance of developing Type II diabetes. The fetal placenta is responsible for abnormal glucose intolerance after 24 weeks
3) Use of insulin to control the blood sugars in pregnancy
Insulin use in pregnancy means the mother has less ability to produce an adequate amount of insulin during stress (excessive sugar loads, viral or bacterial infections, ect.)
Measures must be in place to prevent, reduce, and or treat each risk factor.
Regarding prevention, reduction, or treating a BMI of greater than 27 requires a comprehensive approach involving psychological, environmental, nutritional, and exercise.
1) Eating minimal amounts of calories is noted to increase longevity. This is because obesity leads to chronic diseases such as cancer, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis. One must learn to eat frequent small meals. Eating 5 to 7 small meals throughout the day will increase the metabolism by 10 to 12 percent. Increasing the portion of protein and reducing the amount of carbohydrates will reduce insulin demand that is needed to metabolize sugars in the body. Patients must reduce breads, pasta, and sweets. Patients must increase fiber intake, brown rice, sweet potatoes, nuts, and non-starchy vegetables.
2) Exercise. One must engage is some form of exercise 30 minutes to 1 hour a day. Swimming, walking, riding bicycles, stationary bicycle, treadmill, weightlifting, rowing, stair climber, etc, are examples of exercises that will build muscle and help increase the uptake of sugars into muscle which in turn decreases the demand for insulin and reduces glucose resistance. Increase in one pound of muscle leads to an increase of 50 calories a day being burned.
3) Supplements known to increase glucose utilization in diets.
a. Cinnamon
b. Bitter melon
c. Cane sugar
d. Alpha Lipoic Acid
e. Chromium Piccolinate
In summary, Type II diabetes leads to serious illness and disease left untreated. Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy predicts a high incidence of developing Type II Diabetes within a few years. Knowing the risk factors that lead to Type II diabetes after Gestational Diabetes and the ways to reduce or prevent these factors from occurring, will help to reduce the incidence of this detrimental disease.
Both Lisa Janse & James Pendergraft are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Lisa Janse has sinced written about articles on various topics from Diabetes Treatment, Pregnancy Problems and Diabetes Treatment. Lisa Janse is a professional writer specialising in health topics. Learn more about living with Diabetes by reading more practical and interesting facts about. Lisa Janse's top article generates over 1900 views. to your Favourites.
James Pendergraft has sinced written about articles on various topics from Women, Pregnancy Trimester and Abortion. Florida Abortion Clinic. Dr. James S. Pendergraft opened the in March 1996 to provide a full range of health care for women, including. James Pendergraft's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.