Diabetes and Pregnancy Although pregnancy is a totally natural and normal process for women, there is no doubt that it imposes both mental and physical stresses and strains on the woman involved. Pregnant mothers worry about whether the baby is well and whether they are doing all they can to give their baby every chance to do well. This is usual for normal, healthy women, so how much more worrying and how much more difficult must pregnancy be for diabetic women? Firstly, the diabetic mother-tobe has to ensure that she is 'normal' and then worry like any 'normal' mother. This could add up to lots of extra pressure. Nutrition, so diet, and exercise are the real keys to success here. I do not mean dieting to lose weight either. During pregnancy is not the perfect time to attempt to lose weight! Rather, the pregnant diabetic needs to eat sensibly and follow all the GP's advice on what to eat in order to encourage the right development of the baby. Most people talk of two variations of diabetes: Type I or juvenile diabetes and Type II or on-set diabetes in those who develop it later in life. However, there is a third, which just pregnant women can develop. It most often manifests itself in the last third of the pregnancy and is not at all uncommon. In fact, The USA is the sole major country that calls it a disease. It is called gestational diabetes and some medical doctors think that it is a quite normal part of pregnancy, although it can be exaggerated in some women. Around 3%-10% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes, depending on the population being studied. It can be easily treated in most cases, but must be treated, because it can have an impact on the baby and can have longer term complications for the mother. Normally, the symptoms of diabetes disappear after giving birth. It can however lead to type II diabetes if not taken care of. Pregnancy for women who were diabetic before they became pregnant can be more of a problem and should be monitored more closely because of the constant state of flux of hormones that pregnancy causes. Insulin is also a hormone, obviously. This does not mean that there will be issues, merely that it is far less risky to be more cautious than usual. If the pregnancy was unexpected, there is nothing to be done, but being cautious, but if a pregnancy is planned, then the woman ought to get her body in the best possible condition before attempting to conceive. This means normalizing your weight and blood and being comfortable with the techniques that a diabetic has to get used to. If you are comfortable with your predicament, you will have that much less to worry about when pregnant.
It might be difficult for a non-professional to know whether a diabetic woman is fit enough to take on a pregnancy, so a visit to a medical doctor is recommended. There are dangers to diabetic women who become pregnant. The worst of these worries are: diabetic retinopathy, hypertension, kidney disease, autonomic neuropathy or nerve damage to the internal organs, and cardiovascular problems. The risks can be minimized by frequent self-monitoring; medication; exercise and diet. Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on a variety of subjects, and is now concerned with Diabetic Friendly Meals. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Cookbooks For Diabetics.