Gestational Diabetes – A pregnancy gift?

Pregnancy does not come easy to me.  I’ve had every awful pregnancy symptom you can think of; nausea, vomiting, headaches, extreme fatigue, gas of course, and now I’ve been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Diabetes runs in my family but I never thought it would be my problem; it always seemed like someone else’s health issue. After all, I’ve been very careful about what I eat and try to exercise regularly.

There is already so much information about diabetes…why write about it?

Gestational diabetes affects approximately 10% of pregnant women and is one of the primary health concerns for pregnant women. In my case, gestational diabetes was discovered very early on in pregnancy at about 14 weeks. Helping other pregnant women understand what the symptoms are may assist in early detection. Often women are tested at 24-28 weeks.  In terms of symptoms, it can be hard to pin point as your body is changing so much in a short period of time. For me, I felt that something wasn’t right, my energy levels were not consistent (I went from very tired to very wired), I was always thirsty and always running to the bathroom. It can be confusing as these are also some pregnancy symptoms. It’s best to get tested early if diabetes does run in your family.

So what causes it?

The Canadian Diabetic Association lists several risk factors for gestational diabetes:

• a previous diagnosis of GDM or delivery of an excessive birth weight infant
• being a member of a high-risk population, including women of Aboriginal, Hispanic, South Asian, Asian and African descent
• being 35 years of age or older
• being obese (BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher)
• a history of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• acanthosis nigricans (a skin disorder characterized by the appearance of darkened patches of skin)
• use of corticosteroids

In terms of what happens in your body, pregnancy hormones and other factors are thought to interfere with the action of insulin as it binds to the insulin receptor. Since insulin promotes the entry of glucose into most cells, insulin resistance prevents glucose from entering the cells properly. As a result, glucose remains in the bloodstream, where levels rise.

What am I doing to manage it?

I’ve discovered that having diabetes is like having a part-time job. Not only is it important to test and track blood sugars at least 4 times a day, exercise is one of the most important tools to manage diabetes on a daily basis and it’s also imperative to know when and how much insulin to take. Doing all of this can be so overwhelming at first but planning ahead seems to the best way to manage daily food and exercise.

Diabetic diets focus on managing the quantity of carbohydrates consumed throughout the day as a means of managing peaks in blood glucose levels. I make an effort to eat only 45g of carbohydrates for every meal and supplement with lots of veggies and protein. As a mom of a 2 year old, it can be hard to plan my meals so far in advance.

Exercise is the hardest part of the equation for me. Now that I’m pregnant and getting bigger I really don’t feel like going out for an hour walk every day. I try to go earlier in the morning when I’m not as tired and have the energy to walk. Exercising helps regulate blood sugars and will help build a stronger and healthier body for pregnancy and delivery. It is important not to over exert yourself and just do as much exercise as your body can handle.

Some women with gestational diabetes need to take insulin to help regulate blood sugars and keep both mom and baby healthy. It is possible to manage through diet and exercise if your blood sugars seem to be generally in control. A consultation with your physician after your blood screening tests should help with managing this.

What are the risks later in life?

Coming to terms with having gestational diabetes can be daunting. The experience has made me take better care of myself and my baby during this pregnancy. No more eating and lounging to my heart’s content! But coming to terms with the fact that 40% of women with gestational diabetes develop Type II diabetes later on in life is extremely scary. I spoke to my OB about the risks and was very concerned; I was advised to continue to eat a diabetic diet even after I have the baby and to continue to exercise every day. This may ward of diabetes in the long term but there is always the chance that it will rear its ugly head anyway!

Go-La Rolla is always interested in hearing what you have to say. Please write to us and tell your experiences with pregnancy, or feel free to comment on this blog. Your comments could be useful to other readers.

Sharan

Go-La Rolla, co- founder

www.golarolla.com

info@golarolla.com

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