New Delhi, January 5 (IANS). Sugar during pregnancy i.e. gestational diabetes is becoming a big and serious problem for women nowadays. There is an increase of one and a half to two times in the number of women coming for treatment from district hospitals to CHC and PHC. Dr. Meera Pathak, Senior Medical Officer and Gynecology expert of Bhangel CHC, had a special conversation with IANS on this.
Dr. Meera Pathak told that gestational diabetes is a condition in which a woman faces the problem of increased blood sugar for the first time during pregnancy. Usually this problem appears in 24 to 26 weeks of pregnancy i.e. sixth or seventh month. The good thing is that in most cases the blood sugar level automatically becomes normal after delivery and completion of the postpartum period.
According to Dr. Meera, the main reason for gestational diabetes is some hormones released from the placenta. These hormones make the body cells resistant to insulin. Due to this the sugar level in the body increases. When these hormones are produced in large quantities, they affect the mother as well as the child.
To avoid this, the most important thing is timely screening. Whenever a woman goes for antenatal checkup for the first time, she must get a random blood sugar test done. Apart from this, some women fall in the high risk category, such as being overweight, first pregnancy after 35 years, history of diabetes in the family, high blood pressure during pregnancy, repeated miscarriages in the past, death of the baby in the womb, gestational diabetes in the previous pregnancy or birth of a child weighing more than four kilos in the past. It is very important for such women to undergo oral glucose tolerance test between 24 to 26 weeks.
If carelessness is taken during this period, it can affect both mother and child. The mother may suffer from frequent infections, there may be a problem of excess water formation, the risk of miscarriage or pre-term delivery increases. At the same time, its effect on the child can be that the child is either born very weak or overweight i.e. above four kilos. The danger does not end even immediately after delivery. In such children, there is a possibility of low blood sugar after birth and the risk of jaundice is also high. Therefore doctors recommend constant monitoring.
Dr. Meera Pathak says that the easiest and most effective way to avoid gestational diabetes is to adopt a smart lifestyle. This means eating a balanced diet. Instead of eating three big meals a day, make a habit of eating small and frequent meals. It is better to eat small amounts every two to three hours. Fill half of the plate with green vegetables and salad. Include things like pulses, curd, lassi, cheese and eggs in your diet.
The second most important thing is to avoid hidden sugar. Hidden sugars are those things which do not taste very sweet, but they contain very high amount of sugar. Such as packaged coconut water, packaged fruit juice, flavored milk, flavored curd, brown bread, white bread, pav, bun, cereals, sandwich spread, mayonnaise, biscuits, rusks, cakes and muffins. It is very important to stay away from these things.
A common misconception is that one should ‘eat for two’ during pregnancy. Doctors clearly say that this should not be done at all. For the first three months, eat the same amount as you used to eat before. Adding extra miles in the second and third trimester is enough.
Apart from this, do light exercise for half an hour daily as per doctor’s advice. Light walk, pregnancy yoga or walking for 10-15 minutes after every mile is also very beneficial. Avoid gaining excessive weight. It is considered normal to gain about 10 to 11 kg of weight during the entire pregnancy. Do not skip meals, get complete sleep, try to sleep for at least 7-8 hours and stay away from stress. All these things together help in preventing gestational diabetes.
There are some symptoms on which pregnant women should pay special attention, such as frequent hunger, excessive thirst, frequent urination, frequent infections, frequent fungal infections and increased blood pressure. If excessive amniotic fluid is seen in the ultrasound, the baby’s weight increases too fast or the baby seems weak, then blood sugar should be checked immediately.
–IANS
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