Why does pregnancy cause GDM?
A woman’s body goes through many changes during pregnancy. Some of these changes can affect the way her body uses blood sugar. Some women’s bodies have a harder time keeping blood sugar normal. High blood sugars can cause problems for the woman’s body and her baby. Signs of GDM could be thirst, hunger, being tired, and urinating a lot. If a woman’s blood sugar go too high while she is pregnant, both she and the baby could gain too much weight. Too much weight is not healthy for mom or baby.
The Sugar Connection
Insulin is a hormone that helps the body to move blood sugar into cells. The developing baby depends on the mother’s blood sugar for energy. The mother’s blood sugar goes to the baby, but her insulin does not. After the baby’s pancreas develops, it begins making its own insulin while it is still in the mother’s uterus. If the mother’s blood sugar remain high, the baby’s pancreas will continue to make a lot of insulin. During pregnancy, high sugar and insulin levels can make the baby gain a lot of fat. Babies that gain too much fat may be too big to come through the vagina. If a baby is too big to come through a woman’s vagina, the woman will need to have a c-section. After birth, the baby can have low blood sugar (also called hypoglycemia), which can cause problems. This can happen because the baby’s pancreas is still making a lot of insulin, even though it is no longer receiving high blood sugar from the mother.
Women who have GDM need help controlling their blood sugar. A woman can do this by eating a healthy diet, being physically active, and taking medications, if the doctor suggests this.
True or False? Overweight women
are more likely to get GDM.
- True
Why should I lower my chances of getting GDM?
Diabetes during pregnancy makes blood sugar go higher. This can raise your chances of health problems. High blood sugar are bad and can hurt both the mother and the baby. When you are ready to plan a pregnancy, it’s important to be healthy and have normal blood sugar.