Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a disorder that affects pregnant women when the placenta's hormone prevents the body from adequately using insulin. Instead of being utilised by the cells, extra glucose begins to accumulate in the circulation. The good news is that following birth, symptoms of gestational diabetes vanish.
We must grasp the placenta's role in order to comprehend the causes of gestational diabetes. The placenta produces a variety of hormones to support a healthy pregnancy. Among them are hormones like oestrogen and human placental lactogen. Some of these hormones, nevertheless, may have a detrimental impact on insulin.
Insulin resistance often begins to rise between weeks 20 and 24 of pregnancy and continues to rise as the placenta develops and produces more of the aforementioned hormones. The pancreas cannot produce enough insulin during gestational diabetes to counteract the effects of placental hormones.
Although GDM can occur in any pregnant woman, certain risk factors, such as obesity and a family history of diabetes, can raise your risk of developing it. Additionally, women who are older than 25 are at a higher risk. If you are already pre-diabetic, then also there are higher chances of getting GDM.
Dietary changes, increased physical activity, insulin injections, and regular blood glucose monitoring are all possible treatments for gestational diabetes. Every pregnancy, however, is unique, and the gynaecologist decides the course of treatment based on the severity of the condition, as well as your preferences for and tolerance of specific drugs and treatments.
Macrosomia and hypoglycemia are two clear problems that can develop in pregnant women with gestational diabetes. The baby grows bigger than the average baby in the first situation. Hypoglycemia, on the other hand, is a situation when the newborn has low blood sugar levels right after delivery.
It is advised to routinely monitor your postpartum blood sugar levels if you experienced GDM during your pregnancy. In these situations, ongoing diabetes screening, which must be done every three years, is also crucial.
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