What is Gestational Diabetes: Symptoms, Causes and Diagnosis

Gestational diabetes occurs in females during the time of pregnancy. In this condition sugar level in the blood becomes high. It happens to even those pregnant women who were never diagnosed with diabetes earlier. Gestational diabetes, like other types of diabetes, affects how your cells use sugar (glucose). 

• Glucose comes from the carbohydrates like bread, potato etc.
• The level of glucose is regulated by insulin.
• Malfunctioning of insulin results in development of diabetes.

Keyterms: Diabetes, sugar, glucose, pregnancy, gestation, medication, insulin, PCOS, blood sugar, carbohydrates

Also Read: Nutrition in Human Beings

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What is Gestational Diabetes?

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Gestational diabetes is a disorder that causes high blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

• It is a type of diabetes that arises during pregnancy (gestation) and usually resolves after the birth of the child.
• Gestational diabetes results in high blood sugar which is not good for the mother as well as the baby.
• However, this can be easily controlled by healthy eating and following a healthy lifestyle, exercising, and if required taking proper medication.

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Causes of Gestational Diabetes

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During pregnancy, the placenta plays a crucial part in the child's appropriate growth and development. When we intake food, our pancreas releases insulin, which is a hormone that helps to move the sugar known as glucose from the blood to the cell. 

• Insulin resistance occurs when certain of these hormones prevent the mother's insulin from working properly.
• When body is unable to produce enough insulin or doesn't use it properly,  blood sugar levels rise, and develops gestational diabetes.

Causes of Gestational Diabetes

Also Read: Sexual Reproduction

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Risks of Gestational Diabetes

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The following factors help to determine whether someone is likely to get gestational diabetes-

• A female had a baby who weighed more than 8 to 9 pounds at birth?
• Previous pregnancy had resulted in gestational diabetes.
• Obesity.
• Diabetes in family history.
• Age above twenty-five
• Any ongoing HIV treatment
• Experienced miscarriage before.
• Have you been diagnosed with the polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or another health issue associated with insulin resistance?

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Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes

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The patient on the recommendation of the doctor goes through a glucose screening test.

• A mother will be given something to drink which will increase the sugar level of the blood. After a one-hour blood gulose test will be conducted to analyze how the body handled all that sugar.

If  blood sugar is higher than a certain amount, you'll require a 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test. 

• Involves doing a blood glucose test three hours after drinking a 100-gram glucose drink.
• Your doctor can also test you by giving you a 75-gram glucose drink and a 2-hour blood glucose test after you've fasted for 12 hours.
• If test results are normal but you're at high risk, your doctor may test you again later in the pregnancy to make sure you don't have it.

Read more:

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Treatment for Gestational Diabetes

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As soon as the mother is diagnosed with gestational diabetes the doctor needs to start the treatment to keep the mother and child health. However, treatment is not always include medication and surgery only but some of the diseases requires to moniter the life style and habits to reduce the disease progression.

The woman with gestational diabetes, her partner, and her doctor accredited practicing dietitian (APD), diabetes educator, and midwife work together to manage gestational diabetes.

The factors which are needed to be monitored are -

1. Eatings habits
2. Physical activity
3. Blood glucose levels should be checked regularly.
4. Check for ketones in your urine, which indicates that your diabetes isn't under control.

Doctors keeps a track of mothers’ weight and baby development. To keep the blood sugar level in control doctors may give insulin or other medicine. 

Following these tips, gestational diabetes can be easily cured-

1. Healthy eating habits-

• Eat food in small portions and at regular intervals. Throughout your pregnancy, it's essential to fulfill your hunger and maintain a healthy weight increase
• Addition of some carbohydrates to your meal. Proper distribution of carbohydrates in every meal is also essential.
• Include foods that supply nutrients to the mother, such as calcium, folic acid, iron, and so on. Low in fat, especially saturated fat, and high in fiber, with a modest amount of carbohydrates from grains, cereals, fruit, pasta, and rice.

2. Exercising during pregnancy-

• Physical activity aids in the reduction of insulin resistance and the reduction of blood glucose levels. Physical activity, including brisk walking, can help you stay in shape while also preparing for the arrival of your child.

3. Monitoring the level of blood glucose -

• By monitoring blood level glucose regularly you will be able to trace the progress and adjustment required 
• If blood glucose levels are beyond the suggested target range, a diabetes educator will show you how to self-monitor blood glucose and record the results, as well as other required precautions
• On-prescription insulin injections can also be used to maintain the blood glucose level.

Read More: Balanced Diet

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Things to Remember

• Gestational diabetes is a disorder that causes high blood sugar levels during pregnancy.
• When your body is unable to produce enough insulin or doesn't use it properly, your blood sugar levels rise, and you develop gestational diabetes.
• Potential factors that determines the risk of disease are obeseity, family history with diabetes, other ongoing medication and treatment etc.
• Simple diagnostic test like blood sugar test can be identify if the disease has been developed or not.
• The risk of gestational diabetes can be easily prevented by-

1. Healthy eating habits
2. Exercising during pregnancy
3. Monitoring the level of blood glucose.

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Previous Year Questions

• In which of the following techniques, the embryos are transferred to assist those females who cannot conceive ?...[NEET 2020]
• Which one of the following statements is correct regarding sexually transmitted infections (STIs)?...[NEET 2013]
• The hormone releasing IUD is...[NEET 2014]
• The contraceptive "SAHELI"...[NEET 2018]
• Choose the right one among the statements given below…..[NEET 2019]
• Select the hormone-releasing Intra-Uterine Devices....[NEET 2019]
• Artificial insemination means :….[NEET 2013]
• Assisted reproductive technology, IVF involves transfer of...[NEET 2014]
• Cu ions released from copper-releasing intra uterine devices (IUDs)….[NEET 2010]
• In India, human population is heavily weighed towards the younger age groups as a result of….[NEET 1980]
• Embryo with more than 16 blastgomeres formed due to in vitro fertilization is transferred into….[NEET 2016]
• The present population of the world is about...[NEET 1997]
• What is the work of copper T ?….[NEET 2000]
• Which of the following contraceptive methods do involve a role of hormone ?...[NEET 2019]
• Which one of the following is the most wide accepted method of contraception in India at present?...[NEET 2011]