Gestational diabetes symptoms – what you need to know
Gestational diabetes symptoms occur only during pregnancy. This is thought to be due to hormonal activity in the mothers body. Although it has never been scientifically proven, gestational diabetes is thought to be caused by the placenta producing certain hormones to help in the development of the fetus. These hormones, called estrogen and cortisol, are produced at a much faster rate during pregnancy and can affect the release of insulin by the pancreas. This causes glucose to build up in the bloodstream to produce gestational diabetes.
Why do some mothers experience gestational diabetes symptoms and not others? There aren’t a lot of certainties concerning gestational diabetes, but medical professionals do agree that some women are more at risk for contracting gestational diabetes than others. Risk factors include:
- Any past family history of gestational diabetes – this could be mother, grandmother or sister
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Being overweight or obese
- Age – women over the age of 35 tend to be more at risk
- Those who have experienced a stillbirth
- Women who have experienced gestational diabetes symptoms in a previous pregnancy
Gestational diabetes is serious. Left untreated, it can cause severe complications with the fetus, such as congenital defects, abnormal physiological and neurological development, and other conditions like macrosomia, jaundice, hypoglycemia, and injuries during the actual birth of the baby.
The problems caused by gestational diabetes for the mother don’t stop with the birth of the child, either. There’s a high risk of pre-eclampsia (hypertension, presence of excess protein in the urine, and a host of other problems). Women who have had gestational diabetes are more prone to developing Type 2 diabetes within two years.
The symptoms of gestational diabetes to look for and to report to your doctor are unquenchable thirst, increased frequency of urination, excessive hunger, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.
Of course, many of the above listed symptoms are common to pregnancy especially in the early stages anyway, but the thing to look for is their occurring during the 24th to 28th week of gestation. Also be aware that some women don’t experience any gestational diabetes symptoms, so it’s wise to be tested if you fit in to any of the risk categories listed above.
The good news is that gestational diabetes can be treated very effectively. Medication is probably a last resort, it is far better to treat gestational diabetes by natural means. As with other forms of diabetes, diet is the most effective weapon. Attention to diet is the first, safest, and best option for treating gestational diabetes symptoms.
