Diseases during Pregnancy
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes (GD) refers to the occurrence of diabetes in a woman for the first time during pregnancy. The variations in the hormone levels in the body and increasing weight have been proposed as the causative factors.
A pregnant woman is at risk of developing gestational diabetes due to the following risk factors:
- Overweight before pregnancy or gain excessive weight during pregnancy.
- A family history of diabetes (first-degree relative).
- Blood glucose level is high, but is not high enough to be termed as diabetes (a condition known as abnormal glucose tolerance).1
The condition is generally identified by performing tests to measure the fasting blood glucose levels and the levels after administration of 100 g of glucose. The blood glucose levels need to be within limits to prevent the baby from being born overweight; with some underlying disorder or reduction in the growth of the baby.
If one is diagnosed to suffer from gestational diabetes , the doctor may advise her to follow a proper planned diet, perform some minor exercises everyday and insulin in some selected cases. These steps are generally sufficient to control the blood glucose level and prevent complications to the baby. The doctor may also advice to undergo some tests to confirm that the baby is growing normally. Gestational diabetes usually resolves after delivery and may not be required to continue taking insulin. However, she may be at risk of developing diabetes at a later stage in life and hence need to maintain the weight.2 The doctor will advice about these risks and the methods to avoid them.
Gestational Hypertension
One of the important changes in a pregnant woman’s body during pregnancy is variation in the blood pressure. Severe alterations may be dangerous both for the mother and the baby. Some women who were normal before suffer from increased blood pressure that is noticed for the first time during pregnancy. This is termed as gestational hypertension. This is generally a transient condition, which generally normalizes by 6 weeks after delivery. The condition which occurs during the second half of the pregnancy is generally diagnosed during routine check ups.3 Doctors may prescribe certain medications, if they feel that the blood pressure is high enough to cause problems to the mother and the growing baby. These medications are usually discontinued after the blood pressure returns to normal levels. Always follow the instructions from the doctor if one is diagnosed to suffer from gestational hypertension.
Next page: Labour and delivery
Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: April 21, 2012