Gestational Diabetes

An in-depth understanding of gestational diabetes, its risk factors, how it’s detected, and what can be done to treat or manage it.

- Stephlina Dcunha

The three trimesters call for more than just care for the mother and her growing baby. It is highly important for every pregnant woman to come to terms with the fact that her growing bump is going to put extra burden on nearly every part of her body. Now that she has to accommodate the requirement to nourish another life alongside hers, her body will not only have to work extra hard but also smart, making sure it doesn’t produce too much or too little of anything. However, there are some discrepancies that cannot be accounted for and can result in complications, like gestational diabetes, for example. But guess what, it is more common than you think!

For years, doctors believed that gestational diabetes didn’t affect too many pregnant women and was something we shouldn’t be bubbling over. However, newer and more stringent diagnostic criteria opens up jaw-dropping figures. The condition, which can strike any pregnant woman affects about 18 per cent of expectant mothers across the world. As these most recent statistics, point out to soaring numbers, it’s time to introspect on how aware we are about this condition.

WHAT IS GESTATIONAL DIABETES?

It is a type of diabetes which is only diagnosed during pregnancy and occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, a hormone that helps in the absorption of glucose and to maintain healthy blood sugar levels in the body. Therefore, in the event that your body cannot produce enough insulin or utilise the insulin that is secreted, your blood glucose can rise, leading to serious complications. Hence, pregnant mothers need to be mindful of their sugar levels at all times. According to experts, GD used to be relatively rare and was detected only in about three to four per cent of pregnancies. However, the numbers have shot up exponentially in the last few years.