How should women with diabetes prepare for pregnancy?

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Gestational diabetes, although not too serious to life, has certain effects on the pregnancy process of pregnant women. Women who want to have children but have diabetes wonder how the disease affects pregnancy and what to prepare for pregnancy.

1. What is gestational diabetes?

Diabetes occurs when the body loses its ability to use or produce insulin as it should. Normally, most foods that enter the body will be converted into glucose. The glucose is then carried to the body's cells through the help of insulin. Glucose won't be able to enter your body's cells if your body doesn't make enough insulin, or the insulin doesn't work as it should. Instead, it stays in the blood and causes blood sugar levels to rise. Over time, high blood sugar can damage the body and cause serious health problems like heart disease, kidney disease, and vision problems.
Gestational diabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels are disturbed during pregnancy (from the 24th week of pregnancy).

2. Types of diabetes

There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and type 2.
For people with type 1 diabetes, insulin is needed to survive because the body makes little or no insulin.
In people with type 2 diabetes, although the body can still produce insulin, it cannot metabolize sugar in the blood. Type 2 diabetes can also occur from other diseases or as a side effect of certain medications you're already taking. People with type 2 diabetes do not need insulin. They can control their glucose levels with a balanced lifestyle, a combination of the right diet and medication.

3. Factors that increase the risk of gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes can be related to genetic factors that run in families or stem from lifestyle factors. Here are some of the main factors that increase the risk of gestational diabetes:
Older women (45 years and older). Overweight, obesity. Family history of diabetes. Do not do regular physical activity. Glucose screening results showed abnormalities. High Blood Pressure. High cholesterol. History of gestational diabetes or a baby weighing more than 9 pounds at birth. Polycystic ovary syndrome. History of cardiovascular disease.

4. What are the symptoms of diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes
Frequent thirst or need to urinate Fast hunger Uncontrolled weight loss Sudden blurred vision Numbness in the limbs Type 2 diabetes:
Have any of the symptoms of type 1 diabetes slow-healing wounds Dry and itchy skin Loss of sensation or tingling in the feet Infections, such as yeast infections, vaginal yeast infections

5. Tests to help detect diabetes

There are three types of tests used to diagnose diabetes:
Fasting venous blood sugar test : This is the easiest and most common way to check for diabetes. Before the test, you must fast overnight (not eat or drink anything but water) for at least 8 hours. Pregnant women will go to the hospital the next morning to have blood drawn for blood sugar testing. Glucose Tolerance Test: Before the test, you must fast overnight. The pregnant woman will first do a fasting venous blood sugar test. Then, the nurse will give 75g of glucose mixed with 250-300ml of water. A few hours later, the pregnant woman will have a blood test to measure blood sugar. HbA1c test: To check the total blood sugar level, from which to see if the treatment to lower blood sugar in diabetic patients is effective or not. HbA1c is done to measure the amount of glucose attached to the hemoglobin of red blood cells circulating in the body.

6. How does diabetes affect health?

If diabetes is not controlled, serious health problems can occur:
Kidney disease that leads to high blood pressure or kidney failure Eye problems that can lead to blindness Nerve and blood vessel damage blood in the feet: causing pain, numbness, infection, even having to have the toe, foot or whole leg removed. High blood cholesterol levels lead to stroke and heart disease Certain infections, such as bladder or kidney infections, vaginal infections, yeast infections and skin infections Problems in pregnancy Problems thyroid issue

7. How should women with diabetes prepare for pregnancy?

If you are planning a pregnancy but have diabetes, you need to go to a pre-pregnancy doctor for advice on how to take care of yourself during pregnancy. In addition, it is advisable to try to control the glucose level well for a few weeks before becoming pregnant to avoid unnecessary risks during pregnancy and to keep both mother and baby healthy.

8. Can gestational diabetes be prevented?

To help prevent gestational diabetes, eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly. An important part of preventing diabetes is keeping your weight under control. Here are a few ways to help prevent the disease effectively:
Keep your body weight within the right range: weight can be assessed by body mass index (BMI). Follow a healthy diet to help keep cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight at healthy levels. Try to exercise for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. During pregnancy, if you have unusual symptoms, you should be examined and consulted with a specialist.

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Acog.org source references.