Preventing Complications of Gestational Diabetes
Participation of Mothers in their Care will Reduce Birth Risks
Sep 9, 2009
Medication alone can not treat Gestational Diabetes. When mothers participate in their own care the risks to their babies are reduced and they lower their own risk of developing type II diabetes later on.
Start with Good Prenatal Care
Elevated blood sugars produce changes in the mother's urine and uterine growth patterns that may be apparent at regular prenatal checkups. Screening labwork aimed specifically at Gestational Diabetes is performed during the seventh month of pregnancy. Fasting when she arrives at the lab, the mother is asked to drink flavored sugar. For another hour she is allowed only water. Blood is drawn at intervals, depending on risk factors, and the results (blood sugar over 140 indicates disease) will determine if she needs treatment for gestational diabetes.
Keep Counseling Appointments
Good management of Gestational Diabetes depends on maternal support and education. Accurate blood sugar monitoring has to be done by the mother at home. She needs expert nutritional advice based on her own dietary preferences so goals will be realistic and achievable. Nurse educators offer emotional support as well as information and can adjust medications to meet individual needs.
Improve Nutrition to Manage Blood Sugars
A diet of whole foods rich in high quality proteins (lean meats, fish, and lowfat dairy products), fiber, vitamins and minerals (whole grains, raw vegetables and fruits) and good fats (avocados, raw nuts and seeds) will nourish the infant while keeping blood sugars low. Skipping meals and binging defeat efforts to eat a balanced diet. Small frequent meals throughout the day will give better control. Avoid empty calories, junk food, and fast food. Meals should be made with fresh ingredients, not processed and refined foods.
Exercise Lowers Blood Sugars
Swimming or walking daily not only helps the body use excess sugar, but these activities help the baby settle into an optimum position and can make labor easier. Go at a brisk pace and try to get in two or more sessions a day.
Follow the Care Plan Exactly
The mother is responsible for monitoring blood sugars, keeping records, and taking medication as directed. Untreated gestational diabetes repeats in subsequent pregnancies with increasing birth weights. Babies and placentas grow very large because they are infused with unassimilated sugar in the mother's blood, putting infants at risk of prematurity and a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) crisis after birth, when the sugar infusion is stopped. The risk of cesarean delivery is also high.
No one knows what causes some mothers to develop gestational diabetes. Not all factors are related to lifestyle. Some researchers believe it is a remnant of human history when food supplies were scarce. It made sense in those times for pregnant women to naturally have slightly higher blood sugars in order to adequately nourish a fetus. Today most women have plentiful food supplies and many succumb to pressure to overeat while pregnant. Whatever the origin of Gestational Diabetes, a mother who participates in her own care has the best chance of avoiding pregnancy complications.
 |
