Treatment for Gestational Diabetes

Gestational Diabetes Treatment, So, your IVF journey has reached the phase of pregnancy and your excitement is at another level. You choose to undergo the treatment at the best IVF centre in Punjab. Initially, you thought test tube baby costs would not be affordable. Through consultation, you got to understand that test tube baby treatment cost starts from Rs 50,000 and depending on your condition the cost varies. There is one more concern among the patients and that is about gestational diabetes. In this blog, we will talk you through gestational diabetes and what you can do to manage it.

What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational Diabetes often gets confused with diabetes. Although, this condition occurs temporarily during pregnancy and resolves after childbirth. Around 10% of pregnant women suffer from gestational diabetes. The medical doctors are not sure why this problem develops. Gestational diabetes is similar to other diabetes types which makes it difficult for the body to break down glucose that is received from food.

 

In this condition, the pregnancy-related hormones cause insulin to stop working like normal. You must enlighten yourself about the condition to manage your overall health.

How Gestational Diabetes Affects Your pregnancy?

Only and only if you do not get the condition treated on time, it affects your and your fetus health. As per the studies, few conditions can affect pregnant women.

Your baby condition can get affected in this condition:

• Increase the chances to induce early which leads to preterm birth.
• They will be at increased risk to develop diabetes and body-fat percentage will increase with age.
• Preterm birth will make it difficult to breathe and control the sugar level.

 

How is gestational diabetes diagnosed?

Make sure that gestational diabetes is diagnosed on time and for that, you need to consult the health care provider to get yourself screened. Make sure that between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy you get this done. Here is the given way which the healthcare provider uses:

• A glucose challenge test

First of all, you need to drink a syrup glucose-filled solution and then your blood sugar level is checked by a blood test. If >140 milligrams per deciliter, further testing is needed.

• Follow-up glucose tolerance testing

The glucose level is increased and then blood sugar level is checked every hour for 3 hours. If abnormal readings are 2 or more than that, then you have gestational diabetes.

 

What are the diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes?

As per the diagnostic criteria, the healthcare provider will use the blood sugar level to diagnose gestational diabetes.

After fasting: 95 mg/dL

Who is at higher risk of gestational diabetes?

• Higher body-fat percentage
• Diagnosed with PCOS
• Diagnosed with gestational diabetes in the past
• Do not follow an exercise regime
• Family history of diabetes

 

How can I prevent gestational diabetes?

Although there is no hard and fast rule to completely prevent the problem, you can make lifestyle changes to reduce the occurrence of this condition which includes:

• Follow a healthy diet filled with grains and vegetables
• Exercise regularly (for 30 minutes at least)
• Keep a check on your weight

 

What are the treatment options for gestational diabetes?

Initially, the doctor will suggest you make nutritional changes and see if they make any difference or not. Studies have shown that eating a high-protein and low-carb food will show an effect right away. In case, this option does not work for you, then you need insulin.

Apart from nutritional changes you should aim to exercise daily for 150 minutes to 2.5 hours. If you don’t have that much time then walk for 15 minutes as it helps in managing the blood sugar levels.

If these do not work, then the following medications are suggested as the treatment option:

• Insulin
• Glyburide and metformin

Do you know?

Around 70% to 85% of pregnant women can control it, simply by making lifestyle changes.

 

What food options should you have during gestational diabetes?

Every pregnancy is different from others, so there is no one meal plan which you need to follow. Although, there is a list of food options that you can include to manage the blood sugar level.

Vegetables

• Mushrooms
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Salad greens

 

Lean protein

• Cottage cheese
• Nuts
• Edamame
• Turkey

 

Complex carbohydrates

• Whole grains (like wheat bread, brown rice, and oats)
• Legumes (like chickpeas, beans, and lentils)
• Starchy vegetables (like corn, sweet potatoes, and plantains)

 

Monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats

• Olive oil or canola oil
• Avocados
• Eggs
• Peanut butter

 

Is gestational diabetes a reversible condition after childbirth?

YES!

Naturally, the body begins to regulate the blood glucose level. Between 6 to 12 weeks after delivery the blood sugar level is checked and if it is normal then you don’t have this condition. But, make sure that you undergo a medical assessment every 3 years to make sure you don’t have any problem.