Diabetes during pregnancy is the result of high blood sugar levels among pregnant women, and its symptoms usually appear late in pregnancy. There are about 4% of pregnant women who have gestational diabetes, and it is often found in mothers who aren't diabetic. Throughout this article, we will learn what causes gestational diabetes, as well as how to prevent it.

Gestational Diabetes Risk 

Pregnancy may cause hormonal changes that make some women less able to secrete their natural insulin. As a result, if the body cannot absorb insulin properly, the blood level of glucose will rise.

Gestational Diabetes Causes

 There are many reasons that pose a risk of developing gestational diabetes:

  • Overweight before you got pregnant
  • Gestational diabetes in your previous pregnancy.
  • If the fetus has a relatively large weight.
  • Have a family member with diabetes.
  • If you suffer from polycystic ovaries.
  • You have prediabetes( blood sugar levels that are higher than they should be but not high enough to be diabetes).

 Gestational diabetes symptoms

Since gestational diabetes does not have clear symptoms, it can only be diagnosed by a blood test, and dry saliva or frequent urination are also symptoms associated with pregnancy.

 Effects of gestational diabetes on mother and baby

 If you have gestational diabetes and receive proper care during pregnancy, it is likely that you will have a healthy baby. However, neglect can lead to the birth of an oversized fetus, complicating the birth process.So, a cesarean delivery is often necessary for women with gestational diabetes. Furthermore, gestational diabetes may cause hypoglycemia immediately after birth, jaundice, difficulty breathing, and death before or immediately after birth.

Having gestational diabetes may also result in obesity in the baby as he gets older, increasing the risk of him developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Additionally, gestational diabetes in its early stages can result in congenital malformations in the fetus, or a miscarriage, and the mother is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes after birth due to high blood pressure levels during pregnancy.

Gestational Diabetes Treatment

  • Maintain a healthy diet and exercise during pregnancy.
  • Your doctor may prescribe home tests to monitor blood sugar levels.
  • Occasionally, check your urine for ketone levels; If they are high, it indicates the body cannot use the excess glucose for energy.
  •  If diet and exercise aren't enough, your doctor may prescribe insulin.

Gestational Diabetes Prevention

Maintaining a healthy weight is the best way to prevent gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

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Ensure that your sugar levels are well controlled before becoming pregnant. Your unborn child or you will be at lower risk if you comply with this approach. You should undergo a blood test called the "HbA1c" test, which measures the level of glucose in the blood. If your "HbA1c" is higher than that before pregnancy, try to lower the level of glucose in the blood, and follow up with your specialist physician to avoid complications from diabetes.