Pregnant women should read this
Gestational Diabetes is a medical condition characterized by high blood sugar increase that settled during pregnancy in women who previously did not have diabetes before pregnancy. In a normal condition, blood sugar levels regulated by a hormone, insulin, which is made of glucose in the blood stream can enter into the cell.
However, during pregnancy, a woman's body produces more hormones, such as progesterone and estrogen, which causes the body to become resistant to the action of insulin. Therefore, glucose infiltrate into the cells and blood glucose levels remain high. This causes more glucose that flows into the fetus to provide nutrients necessary for growth.
Normally, the body of a pregnant woman will produce more insulin to cope with increased levels of glucose in the blood. However, in some women, their bodies can not produce enough insulin, causing blood glucose levels remain high where it can affect the baby's growth, lead to gestational diabetes.
People who are obese before and during pregnancy, have a family history of diabetes or descendants of Southeast Asia and the Middle East are at high risk for the occurrence of gestational diabetes. Most women with gestational diabetes have no symptoms. Fortunately, most cases of gestational diabetes can be treated with changes in diet and exercise. Only in a minority of cases where insulin therapy is needed to cope with this condition.
