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Gestational diabetes or GDM is a type of diabetes that occurs only in pregnant women, usually during the second trimester of pregnancy. Approximately 4 to 10 percent are afflicted by this condition, which makes it one of the most common worries of expecting moms. Gestational diabetes can be a very difficult thing to understand for most people, but simply put, it means that a person has abnormally high levels of sugar in the blood, thus the term “high blood sugar”. One of two conditions occurs in gestational diabetes. Either there is not enough insulin in the blood or the body is not reacting to insulin accordingly (also termed as “insulin resistance”). Insulin is a hormone that is vital in regulating carbohydrate (glucose) and fat metabolism in the body. It triggers the body to take up glucose (or sugar) from the blood to ensure that the liver stores it as glycogen. Little insulin or insulin resistance both result to the same thing - sugar is not taken up and therefore accumulates in the blood. Certain pregnancy hormones are also thought to make pregnant women more vulnerable to GDM. Human Placental Lactogen, cortisol, estriol, and progesterone are pregnancy hormones that are thought to hinder insulin from doing its job. If the body becomes resistant to insulin, blood sugar levels rise. To compensate for the unusual rise in blood sugar levels, the pancreas performs harder to produce more insulin. However, the pancreas can only do so much. If the pancreas cannot keep up with the increased demand for insulin, the sugar levels rise and gestational diabetes occurs. Other risk factors that may contribute to the development of GDM are: being overweight, family history of diabetes, previously giving birth to a big baby (usually 9 pounds or more in weight), having gestational diabetes with previous pregnancies and having too much amniotic fluid (termed as “polyhydramnios”). The causes of gestational diabetes may be difficult to grasp at first. But as a mother, don’t forget to take good care of your health so you can avoid the causes of gestational diabetes. Proper diet, exercise and regular prenatal check-ups are just some of the things you can do to make sure that you and your baby will have a healthy, stress-free, and fun-filled journey together. nurse practitioner salary dental implants cost identity theft protection
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