By Admin 
How To Control Sugar During Pregnancy: Pregnancy is often considered a journey full of happiness and excitement, but during this time some hidden health risks can also come to the fore. One of these is gestational diabetes, which is nowadays being recognized as a serious problem during pregnancy. Guidelines from the Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group of India, which is supported by the Health Ministry, recommend screening for all pregnant women. Its objective is to identify the disease in time, so that the risks to both mother and child can be reduced.
What are its symptoms?
Gestational diabetes often develops without any obvious symptoms, so many women do not realize it until a test shows high blood sugar. If it is not treated, problems may increase at the time of delivery and the risk of the mother getting type-2 diabetes increases in the future. For this reason, timely investigation is considered very important.
What do experts say?
According to health experts and WHO, blood sugar should be checked between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. However, DIPSI recommends that this test can be started even earlier, i.e. at the first antenatal visit itself, so that the disease can be controlled in the early stages. Even if a woman does not have the usual risk factors for diabetes, testing can help catch the disease early. With this, necessary precautions like changes in diet, blood sugar monitoring and safe physical activities can be adopted in time. According to the 2023 guidelines of DIPSI, a simple test of 75 grams of glucose without fasting is considered to be a cost-effective and reliable method, which can also be done at primary health centres.
It affects children
If blood sugar is not under control during pregnancy, it can affect the child as well. Due to excess sugar, the weight of the child can increase excessively, which can cause problems at the time of delivery. Some newborn babies may have the problem of sudden drop in blood sugar after birth and in severe cases they may have to be admitted to NICU. Therefore, careful monitoring is necessary during the entire pregnancy. The main goal of managing gestational diabetes is to keep the mother’s blood sugar level stable. For this, a balanced diet is very important, in which the amount of carbohydrates is controlled and food rich in fiber is included. Keeping distance from processed food and overly sweet things prevents sudden increase in blood sugar and improves the health of both mother and child.
How can we protect ourselves?
Light exercise, like daily walking or pregnancy-safe yoga, helps increase insulin sensitivity. If sugar is not controlled by lifestyle changes alone, then insulin or medicines are given under the supervision of the doctor, so that both the mother and the fetus remain safe. Even after delivery the risk does not disappear completely. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing type-2 diabetes or prediabetes later on. Therefore, it is considered necessary to check blood sugar within 4 to 12 weeks of delivery and then at regular intervals.
Also read: These are the strangest diseases of the world, you will be shocked to hear the condition of those suffering from them.
Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.
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