Gestational diabetes-when a woman develops diabetes for the first time during pregnancy-may put the mother-to-be and her baby at risk of complications during pregnancy and later in life. Obstetricians say that changing lifestyles sometimes requires insulin to control blood sugar levels.

Like other types of diabetes, Gestational diabetes Can cause blood sugar to rise, which increases the risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women, and Preeclampsia. She is also more likely to need a C-section.

Although the mother’s blood sugar level will return to normal after childbirth, she still has a higher risk of developing diabetes later in life.

Her baby is also at risk. The babies born to women with gestational diabetes tend to be larger and are at higher risk of premature delivery, stillbirth, difficulty breathing, and hypoglycemia. They are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Doctors Gestational diabetes is usually tested between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Although some women may feel thirsty and frequent urination, most women do not know their condition until they are tested.

Risk factors for gestational diabetes include obesity, lack of physical activity, polycystic ovary syndrome, prediabetes and family history of diabetes.

Although the risk of gestational diabetes cannot be completely eliminated, starting a pregnancy at a healthy weight and simply increasing the recommended weight of a healthy baby can help reduce the risk. Exercising before and during pregnancy and choosing healthy food are also ok.

Control blood sugar

You can control gestational diabetes by choosing healthier foods, especially reducing carbohydrates and added sugars. Exercise can also help, although some women may also need medication.

A new study This shows that although most women with gestational diabetes are changing their lifestyles to control their condition, there is still much room for improvement.

The author said the study, published in the Journal of the Society of Nutrition and Nutrition, emphasizes that healthcare providers need to do more to help these women make greater changes in diet and exercise.

Stefanie Hinkle, Department of Epidemiology, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Say The development of a personalized plan for women with gestational diabetes will optimize their health.

She added: “The dietary improvements we have observed are not equal across all groups of women.”

Hinkle and her team collected dietary data on 72 women in 12 hospitals in the United States. Women reduce their carbohydrate intake by 48 grams per day, and the daily increase in sugar consumption reduces by about 3.2 teaspoons. One of the biggest changes they made was to drink less juice.

They also increased their consumption of cheese by 0.3 cups per day. Their consumption of artificially sweetened beverages increased slightly.

The women least likely to reduce carbohydrates are those who are obese, have children, are Hispanic, do not have a college degree, or are between the ages of 35 and 41.

The researchers also studied the exercise data of 84 women with gestational diabetes. They found that women who had performed moderate or vigorous exercise continued to do regular exercise until the second trimester, but none of the women changed their exercise time after diagnosis.

Tips for better control

This U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention with Mayo Clinic It is recommended that women diagnosed with gestational diabetes work with their doctor to develop a plan to control blood sugar levels.

The plan should include:

1. Healthy eating plan
2. At least 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily exercise at least five days a week
3. Blood glucose monitoring
4. Insulin prescription (if required)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that six to twelve weeks after childbirth, women also need to be checked for diabetes, and then every 1-3 years. Experts emphasize that it is important to maintain healthy eating habits and daily exercise after childbirth.