Gestational diabetes occurs during the time of pregnancy. Changing hormones and weight gain makes it hard for the body to keep up with the need of insulin. In the past, it has been viewed as a disease that wasn’t damaging and usually disappeared after the birth of the baby. However, now it is considered a warning sign for both the mother and the baby of metabolic changes that may affect them for life.

Why does gestational diabetes occur? The placenta produces a hormone that goes against the affect of insulin on blood sugar. Women who have a history of diabetes in the family are also more sensitive to this hormone. Mothers who have experienced gestational diabetes should research and be aware of what the symptoms of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are and be aware of the steps to take to avoid or delay this disease.

Studies show that it is possible to reduce the risks by watching their diet and exercise. In fact, women who went on to control their weight, exercise, and their diet had a 58 percent decrease in their risk for developing diabetes.

Exercise is important, if you are already exercising when you become pregnant, it is important you remain active to the limits of your body. Low impact exercising, yoga, or water aerobics are choices for those women who are not on a regular exercise program.

If you have questions about gestational diabetes, or have been diagnosed with it, talk to your doctor and ask questions. Information abounds on the Internet about diabetes, prevention of diabetes, treating the disease, and learning how to control it.

More Diabetes Information

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 13th, 2006 at 12:31 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.