What is gestational diabetes mellitus?
This type of diabetes is caused when a hormone produced by the placenta prevents the body from using insulin as it should be, a condition called gestational diabetes mellitus or GDM. The cells absorb the glucose, but when the bloodstream does not absorb it, it builds up in the blood. Gestational diabetes, on the other hand, is not caused by a lack of insulin but by the body’s “insulin resistance” in response to specific physiological changes during pregnancy that make insulin less effective, which is what is known as gestational diabetes. A pregnant woman who suffers from gestational diabetes ceases to display symptoms after giving birth. Approximately one in three pregnant women in the United States has gestational diabetes, which exists between three to eight per cent.
What causes gestational diabetes mellitus?
Although there is no confirmed cause for GDM, there are several theories as to what could contribute to the condition. A placenta is a small organ that provides vitamins, minerals, and water to a growing child and produces several hormones that help the pregnancy continue. Human placental lactogen, estrogen, cortisol, and cortisol (some forms of these hormones) can block insulin production. An effect known as contra-insulin appears typically around 20 to 24 weeks into the pregnancy and occurs for an extended time afterwards. A large amount of these hormones are produced as the placenta grows, and the risk of insulin resistance increases with the placement of the placenta. Gestational diabetes results from insulin resistance in the pancreas, which makes insufficient insulin to overcome the effects of the growth hormones of the placenta. However, in some cases, the extra insulin the pancreas produces never is sufficient to overcome the impact of the growth hormones of the placenta. Is gestational diabetes mellitus associated with risk factors that should be analyzed in advance? A woman can experience gestational diabetes despite the fact that anyone can develop it. Some of the factors that may increase the risk of developing the condition are as follows:
- Obesity or overweight
- A history of diabetes in the family
- If you have previously given birth to an infant that weighed greater than 9 pounds
- The risk of gestational diabetes is higher in women over 25 than younger women).
- Racial or ethnic group (black, American Indian, Asian American, Latino or Hispanic, and Pacific Islander women are at higher risk).
- Impaired glucose tolerance is another name for diabetes
While blood glucose levels in the urine are often listed as risk factors for GDM, they are not considered reliable indicators.
How is gestational diabetes mellitus diagnosed?
Women with diabetes risk factors should have an undiagnosed type 2 diabetes screening at their first prenatal appointment, according to the American Diabetes Association. When diabetes is not known to exist in the mother, GDM testing should be conducted between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. A postpartum screening for persistent diabetes should also be conducted for women with GDM. The development of diabetes or prediabetes must also be screened lifelong for women with a history of GDM at least three times per year.
What is the treatment for gestational diabetes mellitus?
Your doctor will determine the best treatment for gestational diabetes by considering:
- A medical history, your age, and your overall health
- Status of your disease
- How you handle certain medications, procedures, and therapies
- What you expect from your disease
- How you feel about your disease
Maintaining normal blood glucose levels is the target of treatment for gestational diabetes. Possible treatments include:
- Exercise
- Special diet
- Insulin injections
- Daily blood glucose monitoring