Pre-Pregnancy: Learning About Diabetes
Even before you become pregnant, it's a good idea to find out
whether you're at higher risk for gestational diabetes or Type 2
diabetes, and to take steps to avoid these conditions if you can.
Gestational diabetes occurs only during pregnancy. The condition
almost always disappears as soon as the pregnancy is over. Type
2 diabetes (or adult onset diabetes), the most common form of the
condition, can develop at any time. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, Type 2 diabetes has been on the
rise in the US in the last decade. It's occurring in people in their
teens, 20s and 30s more than ever before, and researchers believe
that obesity and inactive lifestyles are the main causes for the
increase. It can be common for people to have diabetes and not know
It's possible to control both forms of diabetes through diet and
exercise. Sometimes medication, including insulin injections, is
also necessary. But if you're pregnant, you have enough on your
mind even if you don't have complications. Doing what you can to
decrease your risk of diabetes during pregnancy makes a lot of sense.
What is Diabetes?
During digestion, most food is converted to a sugar called glucose.
Then the hormone insulin helps your cells convert glucose to the
energy that your cells need. When diabetes develops, your body has
trouble producing insulin or using it effectively. During pregnancy,
your body produces extra hormones, and this can make it difficult
for the insulin in your body to work the way it should, causing
Symptoms of Diabetes May be Hidden During Pregnancy
Normally, the most common symptoms of diabetes include
- Frequent urination
- Excessive thirst
- Unexplained weight loss
When you're pregnant, these symptoms may not occur. That's why
it's important to have your blood tested for diabetes during pregnancy.
How Diabetes Affects the Baby
If gestational diabetes (or any other form of diabetes) remains
untreated, the baby could have the following problems:
- Difficulty breathing
- Higher birth weight
- Low glucose at birth
Risk Factors for Gestational and Type 2 Diabetes
The following factors may cause increased risk for developing gestational
- History of gestational diabetes during a previous pregnancy
- Having given birth to a very large baby (more than nine pounds)
- Abnormal glucose levels in the past
- History of stillbirth
- Carrying twins or triplets
Additionally, some researchers believe that being overweight or
obese and having an inactive lifestyle are additional risk factors
for gestational diabetes, but there needs to be more research to
Risk factors for Type 2 include:
- Inactive lifestyle
- Age over 45
- Having a close relative with Type 2 diabetes
- Having a baby that weighed more than nine pounds at birth
- Being African-American, Hispanic, American Indian or Asian
How Can You Lower Your Risk?
If you look at the risk factors listed above, you'll see two
that you can do something about-obesity and inactive lifestyle.
Take a good long look at your diet. Do you eat the right amount
and kinds of fat? Do you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole
grains? Are your portions the right size? A nutritionist can help
you size up your diet and make any needed changes.
Do you try to get some exercise each day? Remember, you don't have
to exercise all at once to get the benefit. Ten minutes at a time
here and there is good for you too.
Diabetes Care December 1998; National
Institute of Child and Human Development; K Reynolds, C Lees, G
McCartan, Pregnancy and Birth: Your Questions Answered. DK Publishing,