Gestational diabetes definition
Gestational diabetes refers to the phenomenon of elevated blood sugar that is first discovered during pregnancy. It is different from common diabetes. Common diabetes can occur in anyone, and the diagnostic criteria are also different. Gestational diabetes is specific to pregnancy and mainly occurs in pregnant women. Its diagnosis is usually made at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. If the pregnant woman undergoes an oral glucose tolerance test and shows fasting blood sugar ≥5.1mmol/L, blood sugar ≥10mmol/L 1 hour after a meal, and blood sugar ≥8.5mmol/L 2 hours after a meal, any one of which meets the standard can be diagnosed as gestational diabetes.
gestational diabetes symptoms
Most patients with gestational diabetes have no obvious symptoms, but some patients will experience multiple symptoms.
Thirst : It is one of the common symptoms. Due to the increase in blood sugar, the water loss in the body increases. Patients will frequently feel dry mouth and drink significantly more water.
Increased hunger : Even if you have just eaten, you may still feel hungry and your food intake may increase significantly.
Skin itching : This is because high blood sugar stimulates the skin nerve endings or affects metabolism.
Symptoms of frequent urination : more prominent, patients urinate more frequently and the amount of urine is larger than usual, which is related to the influence of blood sugar on the kidney’s filtration function.
causes
Insulin resistance
During pregnancy, the placenta secretes a variety of hormones that counteract insulin, such as progesterone, glucocorticoids, placental lactogen, etc. These hormones will cause the pregnant woman’s body to become less sensitive to insulin, that is, produce insulin resistance, making it impossible for insulin to work effectively, thereby causing blood sugar to rise.
Blood sugar regulation disorder
During pregnancy, a pregnant woman’s body metabolism will undergo significant changes. If her blood sugar regulation mechanism is impaired and cannot cope with these changes, it can easily cause gestational diabetes.
Older pregnant women
Older mothers have relatively reduced physical functions and weakened endocrine regulation abilities, making them more likely to develop insulin resistance and abnormal blood sugar regulation, increasing the risk of gestational diabetes.
Overweight
Pregnant women who are overweight have more fat cells in their bodies, which secrete substances that affect the action of insulin, resulting in poor insulin effect and increased blood sugar. In addition, obesity may also affect the body’s metabolic function, further causing blood sugar to get out of control.
prevention
Scientific diet
Pregnant women should follow the principle of eating small and frequent meals, choose low GI and low GL foods, such as whole-wheat foods, fresh vegetables and fruits, avoid high-sugar and high-fat foods, and control the total calorie intake. This can reduce blood sugar fluctuations and reduce the risk of gestational diabetes.
Proper exercise
Pregnant women should perform light exercise every day, such as walking, yoga, swimming, etc., and at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, which can help enhance the body’s sensitivity to insulin, promote the utilization and metabolism of blood sugar, and thus reduce the risk of disease.
Weight control
Pregnant women need to gain weight moderately during pregnancy, but excessive weight gain will increase the risk of disease. It is recommended that pregnant women conduct a weight assessment before pregnancy and set a reasonable weight gain goal based on their personal situation. For pregnant women who are overweight, the substances secreted by fat cells in the body will affect the action of insulin, and obesity may also affect metabolic function, leading to uncontrolled blood sugar.
Scientific diet, proper exercise, and weight control can effectively reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes and protect the health of the pregnant woman and the fetus. For women with a history of gestational diabetes, they should pay more attention to prevention after their next pregnancy and maintain a healthy lifestyle and eating habits. At the same time, completing pregnancy at an appropriate age, such as before the age of 35, can also help reduce the incidence of gestational diabetes.