The Truth About Gestational Diabetes {and Why It’s Not Your Fault!}
So you’ve had the Glucose Tolerance Test, or maybe you’ve been monitoring you’re blood sugar levels at home, and your blood sugar readings were high. You have been given a diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes. If your experience was anything like mine, an Obstetrician or midwife gave you a pamphlet on ‘Diabetes and Pregnancy’, referred you to a dietician and endocrinologist for management, and then sent on your way. And now you’re at home, and all the questions you didn’t think to ask are flooding in… What the heck is it? And what does it mean? Will my baby be alright? Do I need a caesarean? Will I need to be on insulin? What can I eat? Do I have to stop eating CHOCOLATE?!?!?! There is some debate against the use of routine testing to diagnose Gestational Diabetes, and also questioning about giving the diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes as a label on pregnant women. Dr. Sarah Buckley recommends avoiding routine testing for Gestational Diabetes for most women. Henci Goer and Dr Michael Odent are among many pregnancy and childbirth professionals who argue against diagnosing women with gestational diabetes, citing unnecessary stress and interventions as one of the risks of the Gestational Diabetes diagnosis. Nevertheless, whether you want to call it Gestational Diabetes or Pregnancy-Induced Insulin Resistance, or just high blood sugar levels in pregnancy, some women do have elevated blood sugar levels and need some extra help. Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM or GD) is described as a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy, and usually goes away 4-6 weeks postpartum. In a pregnant woman without Gestational Diabetes, the body works ‘as usual’. You eat, your stomach breaks down your food, you start to digest it, and the glucose from the carbohydrate Continue reading >>
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Gestational Diabetes
Overview Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy (gestation). Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar (glucose). Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby's health. Any pregnancy complication is concerning, but there's good news. Expectant women can help control gestational diabetes by eating healthy foods, exercising and, if necessary, taking medication. Controlling blood sugar can prevent a difficult birth and keep you and your baby healthy. In gestational diabetes, blood sugar usually returns to normal soon after delivery. But if you've had gestational diabetes, you're at risk for type 2 diabetes. You'll continue working with your health care team to monitor and manage your blood sugar. Symptoms For most women, gestational diabetes doesn't cause noticeable signs or symptoms. When to see a doctor If possible, seek health care early — when you first think about trying to get pregnant — so your doctor can evaluate your risk of gestational diabetes as part of your overall childbearing wellness plan. Once you're pregnant, your doctor will check you for gestational diabetes as part of your prenatal care. If you develop gestational diabetes, you may need more-frequent checkups. These are most likely to occur during the last three months of pregnancy, when your doctor will monitor your blood sugar level and your baby's health. Your doctor may refer you to additional health professionals who specialize in diabetes, such as an endocrinologist, a registered dietitian or a diabetes educator. They can help you learn to manage your blood sugar level during your pregnancy. To make sure your blood sugar level has returned to normal after your baby is born, your health care team wil Continue reading >>
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Diabetes Type 1 And Type 2: How To Tell The Difference
The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has tipped over the 4 million mark for the first time, according to 2016 figures released by Diabetes UK. [Read more: Could you have diabetes? 5 hidden symptoms of diabetes that could mean you're suffering] But the good news is that because most of the 59.8% increase in diagnosis is in type 2 diabetes cases, simple diet and lifestyle changes can help reverse the trend. Diabetes UK says there are now a total of 3.6 million people diagnosed with diabetes in the UK, compared to nearly 2.1 million in 2005. However, many cases are type 2 diabetes, which is the form often linked to diet and obesity. And that means for some people, a diabetes-healthy lifestyle can control the illness, which is thought to be on the rise because of increasing obesity levels. Such a lifestyle includes losing weight if you're overweight, eating a healthy diet including lots of fruit and vegetables, and exercising. These measures can help reduce blood-sugar levels, and either reduce or even stop any diabetes symptoms. And while some people with type 2 diabetes need to take medication, making these healthy diet and lifestyle choices can mean they don't need to take their tablets any more. People with type 1 diabetes, however, will always need insulin injections. What's the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes? While both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are characterised by having higher than normal blood-sugar levels, the cause and development of the conditions are different. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that means sufferers are unable to produce the hormone insulin, which helps the body use glucose in the blood to produce energy. The immune system attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, and people with type 1 diabetes Continue reading >>
What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. You have Type 2 diabetes if your tissues are resistant to insulin, and if you lack enough insulin to overcome this resistance. You have Type 2 diabetes if your tissues are resistant to insulin, and if you lack enough insulin to overcome this resistance. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes of diabetes worldwide and accounts for 90-95% of cases. Risk Factors Your risk of type 2 diabetes typically increases when you are: Other risk factors are: Family history of diabetes in close relatives Being of African, Asian, Native American, Latino, or Pacific Islander ancestry High blood pressure High blood levels of fats, known as triglycerides, coupled with low levels of high-density lipoprotein, known as HDL, in the blood stream Prior diagnosis of pre-diabetes such as glucose intolerance or elevated blood sugar In women, a history of giving birth to large babies (over 9 lbs) and/or diabetes during pregnancy Type 2 diabetes is strongly inherited These are some of the statistics: 80-90% of people with Type 2 diabetes have other family members with diabetes. 10-15% of children of a diabetic parent will develop diabetes. If one identical twin has type 2 diabetes, there is up to a 75% chance that the other will also be diabetic. There are many genetic or molecular causes of type 2 diabetes, all of which result in a high blood sugar. As yet, there is no single genetic test to determine who is at risk for type 2 diabetes. To develop type 2 diabetes, you must be born with the genetic traits for diabetes. Because there is a wide range of genetic causes, there is also a wide range in how you will respond to treatment. You may be easily treated with just a change in diet or you may need multiple types of medication. The ha Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes In Children
What is type 1 diabetes? Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that causes an unhealthy amount of a simple sugar (glucose) to build up in a person's blood. Someone with type 1 diabetes can't produce enough insulin, a hormone that moves glucose from the bloodstream into cells throughout the body, where it supplies energy and fuels growth. Normally, a child's immune system protects her body from diseases by destroying unhealthy cells and germs. But when a child has type 1 diabetes, her body also mistakenly attacks the healthy insulin-producing cells of the pancreas (a gland behind the stomach). Without these cells, her pancreas produces very little or no insulin, which leads to an abnormally high amount of sugar in her blood. Without proper care, type 1 diabetes can cause serious, wide-ranging health problems that can damage organs throughout the body over the long-term. If your child has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, it's understandable that you might worry. But diabetes can be kept under control by carefully monitoring your child's blood sugar and following her treatment plan. A team of doctors, nurses, and nutritionists can help your child be as healthy as possible and teach her to manage the condition so she stays that way. What are the symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children? Symptoms of type 1 diabetes include: Extreme thirst Peeing more than usual (You might notice more wet diapers if your child is very young, or "accidents" if your child is potty trained.) Extreme hunger Weight loss Unusual tiredness Crankiness Yeast infection or diaper rash If your child has one or more of these symptoms, call his doctor right away. Type 1 diabetes symptoms can start quickly and become very serious without treatment. Get medical care immediately if your child has any of Continue reading >>
Diabetes Life Expectancy
Tweet After diabetes diagnosis, many type 1 and type 2 diabetics worry about their life expectancy. Death is never a pleasant subject but it's human nature to want to know 'how long can I expect to live'. There is no hard and fast answer to the question of ‘how long can I expect to live’ as a number of factors influence one’s life expectancy. How soon diabetes was diagnosed, the progress of diabetic complications and whether one has other existing conditions will all contribute to one’s life expectancy - regardless of whether the person in question has type 1 or type 2 diabetes. How long can people with diabetes expect to live? Diabetes UK estimates in its report, Diabetes in the UK 2010: Key Statistics on Diabetes[5], that the life expectancy of someone with type 2 diabetes is likely to be reduced, as a result of the condition, by up to 10 years. People with type 1 diabetes have traditionally lived shorter lives, with life expectancy having been quoted as being reduced by over 20 years. However, improvement in diabetes care in recent decades indicates that people with type 1 diabetes are now living significantly longer. Results of a 30 year study by the University of Pittsburgh, published in 2012, noted that people with type 1 diabetes born after 1965 had a life expectancy of 69 years.[76] How does diabetic life expectancy compare with people in general? The Office for National Statistics estimates life expectancy amongst new births to be: 77 years for males 81 years for females. Amongst those who are currently 65 years old, the average man can expect to live until 83 years old and the average woman to live until 85 years old. What causes a shorter life expectancy in diabetics? Higher blood sugars over a period of time allow diabetic complications to set in, su Continue reading >>
Type 1 Vs. Type 2 Diabetes
In the normal digestive process, your body breaks down much of the food you eat into glucose, a simple sugar that's stored in your body and used for energy. The hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas, regulates the amount of glucose in your blood by helping liver, muscle, and fat cells absorb the sugar. Diabetes is a disease that develops when your pancreas doesn't make enough insulin, or your body doesn't use insulin properly — resulting in high blood glucose levels, which can cause a range of health issues. There are several types of diabetes: Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the most common. Type 1 diabetes develops when the body produces little to no insulin. It’s considered an autoimmune disorder, meaning that the immune system erroneously attacks and destroys the pancreatic beta cells that produce insulin. Type 1 — previously known as insulin-dependent diabetes, or juvenile-onset diabetes (because it often develops at a young age) — accounts for about 5 percent of all diabetes diagnoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Type 2 diabetes develops when liver, muscle, and fat cells don't respond properly to insulin and become "insulin resistant." Glucose doesn't enter the cells as efficiently as before, and instead builds up in the bloodstream. In type 2, the pancreas responds to these increased blood glucose levels by producing more insulin. Eventually, however, it can no longer make enough insulin to handle spikes in glucose levels — such as what happens after meals. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes, according to the CDC. Type 1 Diabetes Prevalence In 2012, an estimated 29.1 million people in the United States — 9.3 percent of the population — had diabetes, according to Continue reading >>
Labour And Birth With Type 1 Or 2 Diabetes
Your birth experience may be different to the one that you had expected, and this can be hard to come to terms with. Finding out what might happen could help you feel mentally prepared for what may lie ahead. It can help to remember that although the birth itself is important, it is just one step in the journey towards having your baby. Where to give birth with type 1 or 2 diabetes If you have diabetes, it is recommended that you give birth in a hospital with the support of a consultant-led maternity team. It is not unusual for babies of mothers with diabetes to be larger than normal, which could lead to birth difficulties such as shoulder dystocia (in which the baby’s shoulder gets stuck during the birth). This means that options such as home birth are unlikely to be recommended. When to give birth with type 1 or 2 diabetes You will be advised to give birth early if you have diabetes. This is to reduce the risk of stillbirth. It is recommended by NICE that women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and no other complications should give birth between 37 weeks and 38 weeks +6 days – either by being induced or having a planned caesarean. If you have any complications that pose a risk to you or the baby, you might be offered an even earlier delivery. 'I had always been aware that I would be on the ward for high-risk cases. I am so grateful to be pregnant, I’m not going to complain about stuff like that. If there is an issue, I would rather be ready for it.' Svenja, mum-to-be How to give birth with type 1 or 2 diabetes As the recommendation is to give birth by 38+6 weeks, you are likely to be offered an induction or a caesarean section. Diabetes is not in itself a reason that you cannot have vaginal birth. Unless there are other complications there is no reason this should Continue reading >>
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After The Birth With Type 1 Or 2 Diabetes
Your insulin dose should be reduced to about a quarter less than the dose you were taking before you became pregnant to make sure you don’t become hypoglycaemic. If you treat you diabetes with insulin and are breastfeeding, you are at higher risk of having a hypo so you should keep a snack available before or during feeds. Your diabetes team should discuss all this with you before you have your baby. Most women are able to have skin-to-skin contact with the baby just after they are born, and you should be able to keep your baby with you unless there is a medical reason they need to be admitted into intensive or special care. You and/or your baby may receive some extra care and monitoring just after the birth if needed, and you will definitely need to stay in hospital for at least 24 hours, until the team are happy that your baby has healthy blood glucose levels and is feeding well. Once the team is happy that you and the baby are healthy, the regular appointments at the diabetes clinic will stop, but you still need to keep on top of your care. After you are discharged from antenatal services, you will be referred back to your standard diabetes service. Managing your glucose levels with a new baby If you were taking insulin before you became pregnant, you or your healthcare team will need to monitor your glucose levels regularly to check what dose you should be on now. Many women find it very difficult to maintain the levels of control they had before they became pregnant once they have a baby to care for and nights of broken sleep. Talk to your team about the level you can aim for. Breastfeeding with type 1/2 diabetes You can return to your previous medications as soon as your baby is born. But if you are breastfeeding, you need to make sure that any medication you ar Continue reading >>
C-sections Vs. Natural Birth In Diabetic Moms
Childbirth and diabetes were once considered mutually exclusive. Thankfully, those days are over. But aiming for a healthy baby — and an uncomplicated birth — when you're living with diabetes is still a very tall order. It can be scary. And no one really wants to have a C-section, right? (I sure didn't, x3). Today, D-author and fellow mother of three Amy Stockwell Mercer joins us once more for a special report on new research providing insight into the precise effects of the Big D during childbirth. Special to the 'Mine by Amy Stockwell Mercer The myth that women with diabetes can't have babies is almost extinct. Shelby's premature death in the movie Steel Magnolias has slowly been replaced by images of healthy, vibrant women like former Miss America Nicole Johnson and fellow D-blogger Kerri Morrone Sparling as they navigate diabetes, pregnancy and motherhood. We've come a long way in understanding the importance of prenatal care for women with diabetes and as a result, more women are having healthy babies than ever before. However, 45%-70% of these pregnancies result in cesarean births and until now, no one could explain why. Researchers at the University of Liverpool have recently discovered that women with diabetes have "impaired uterine contractility." That means that even if we push for hours, some of us may never succeed. This groundbreaking research is based on 2010 United Kingdom government statistics, which show a high induction of labor rate (39%) and a high C-section rate (67%) in women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes (compared to 21% of the general maternal population). "We need to think about the enormously high C-section rate rather than just accepting it," says co-author Dr. Susan Wray. "As scientists we asked the question, could it be that these wome Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Pregnancy
Sometimes pregnancy causes the blood sugar to rise in women who do not have diabetes. This is called gestational diabetes. What is diabetes? Diabetes mellitus (just called diabetes from now on) occurs when the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood becomes higher than normal. There are two main types of diabetes. These are called type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. For further information about diabetes, see separate leaflets called Type 1 Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes. Sometimes pregnancy causes the blood sugar to rise in women who do not have diabetes. This is called gestational diabetes (see below). How does pregnancy affect diabetes? How does pregnancy affect diabetes? Play VideoPlayMute0:00/0:00Loaded: 0%Progress: 0%Stream TypeLIVE0:00Playback Rate1xChapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off, selected Subtitles undefined settings, opens undefined settings dialog captions and subtitles off, selected Audio TrackFullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Pregnancy makes the body need more insulin to control the levels of sugar (glucose) in the body. Therefore, women with diabetes usually need more treatments to control their blood sugar when t Continue reading >>
Infant Of Diabetic Mother
Diabetes in pregnancy There are two types of diabetes that occur in pregnancy: Gestational diabetes. This term refers to a mother who does not have diabetes before becoming pregnant but develops a resistance to insulin because of the hormones of pregnancy. Pregestational diabetes. This term describes women who already have insulin-dependent diabetes and become pregnant. With both types of diabetes, there can be complications for the baby. It is very important to keep tight control of blood sugar during pregnancy. What causes diabetes in pregnancy? The placenta supplies a growing fetus with nutrients and water. It also produces a variety of hormones to maintain the pregnancy. Some of these hormones (estrogen, cortisol, and human placental lactogen) can block insulin. This usually begins about 20 to 24 weeks into the pregnancy. As the placenta grows, more of these hormones are produced, and insulin resistance becomes greater. Normally, the pancreas is able to make additional insulin to overcome insulin resistance, but when the production of insulin is not enough to overcome the effect of the placental hormones, gestational diabetes results. Pregnancy also may change the insulin needs of a woman with preexisting diabetes. Insulin-dependent mothers may require more insulin as pregnancy progresses. Who is affected by diabetes in pregnancy? About 5 percent of all pregnant women in the U.S. are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetics make up the vast majority of pregnancies with diabetes. Some pregnant women require insulin to treat their diabetes. Why is diabetes in pregnancy a concern? The mother's excess amounts of blood glucose are transferred to the fetus during pregnancy. This causes the baby's body to secrete increased amounts of insulin, which result Continue reading >>
Infant Of Diabetic Mother
Women may have diabetes during pregnancy in 2 ways: Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar (diabetes) that starts or is first diagnosed during pregnancy. If the diabetes is not well controlled during pregnancy, the baby is exposed to high blood sugar levels. This can affect the baby and mom during the pregnancy, at the time of birth, and after birth. Infants who are born to mothers with diabetes are often larger than other babies. Larger infants make vaginal birth harder. This can increase the risk for nerve injuries and other trauma during birth. Also, C-sections are more likely. The infant is more likely to have periods of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) shortly after birth, and during first few days of life. Mothers with poorly controlled diabetes are also more likely to have a miscarriage or stillborn child. If the mother had diabetes before her pregnancy, her infant has an increased risk of birth defects if the disease was not well controlled. Continue reading >>
Month Of Birth And Risk Of Developing Insulin Dependent Diabetes In South East Sweden
The cause of insulin dependent diabetes is unknown but genetic and environmental factors and autoimmune mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis.1 2 Several studies have reported that physical, psychological, or chemical stresses can produce imbalance in the proportions of T cell subsets, immunoglobulin levels, and lymphocyte reactivity.3-5There is also a seasonal variation in several immune variables, which could imply that some immunological abnormalities could be explained by seasonality. In turn, this might contribute to the onset or progression of certain diseases such as diabetes and allergy.6 In allergy, early infancy seems to be a period of particular susceptibility to sensitisation,7 8 and several studies have found a relation between month of birth, sensitisation, and manifestation of atopy.9 10 There is a clear seasonal variation in the diagnosis of diabetes,11 12 and children diagnosed during high incidence peaks more often have a preceding, perhaps precipitating, infection.13 These children have higher IgM and IgG levels and they lose their C-peptide more rapidly than patients diagnosed during periods of lower incidence.13 14 However, seasonal factors could influence not only precipitating mechanisms just before diagnosis, but also initiating or promoting mechanisms very early in the disease process. In 1981 Helgasson and Jonasson15 showed that the incidence of diabetes in Icelandic boys diagnosed at 0–14 years of age and born in October was higher than expected. They suggested that the presence of high concentrations of N-nitroso compounds, common food additives, and smoked/cured mutton contributed to the development of diabetes, not in the consumer but in the progeny. This is supported by animal studies. Male offspring of mice fed with cured mutton h Continue reading >>
Can Women With Diabetes Get Pregnant?
Can Women with Diabetes Get Pregnant? Can women with diabetes get pregnant? Diabetes can affect a person without warning and sometimes may even occur without any family history. For a woman of child bearing age, this is stressful as the desire to become a mother and the thought of bringing harm to the child. Although the risks associated with pregnancy in a diabetic woman can’t be ignored, the number of misconceptions is huge and adds to the stress. However, the situation is not as bad as it is made out. Diabetic woman can get pregnant and deliver healthy babies. You just need to take certain precautions to become a mother. The short answer is “Yes”. Since diabetes is a chronic condition, a person is required to take care of their health. Monitoring the sugar levels and keeping them in check is essential. This becomes all the more necessary and important during pregnancy, when your body is undergoing a lot of changes. You should interact more often with your doctor and other healthcare professionals during your pregnancy and try to manage your diabetes as best as you can. This way you can have a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby. How Will Diabetes Affect My Pregnancy? The most commonly seen complications of diabetes are those that affect the kidney, eyes and the nervous system. These are also known as diabetic-nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy respectively. After delivery the symptoms might disappear; however, treatment may be required. Ensure that you inform your doctor about any changes in your body as they can be symptoms of a condition. Common conditions seen among mothers are: urinary tract infection leading to fever. high blood pressure leading to fluid build up. swelling in limbs and face. protein excretion in urine. carpal tunnel syndrome leadi Continue reading >>
