Causes And Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes
By mdssite | October 14, 2009
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that affects women during pregnancy. To avoid complications during pregnancy, a woman with gestational diabetes needs constant monitoring of her blood glucose levels.
Early diagnosis is a must so that the necessary precautions can be taken and both the mother and her infant can be protected. Women with gestational diabetes can recover from this condition after their pregnancy. However, studies reveal that this should be a wake-up call for all.
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According to statistics from the ADA (American Diabetes Association), women who had gestational diabetes have 20% to 50% more chance of developing diabetes within the next 5-10 years, while the other 50% to 70% is most likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes at some point during their lifetime. In a similar report, it has been found that 5% to 10% of women who experience gestational diabetes also have Type 2 Diabetes.
Cause of Gestational Diabetes
Women with a family history of diabetes and women who are overweight are at a greater risk of gestational diabetes. Studies conducted by the ADA show that more cases of gestational diabetes were found among African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, and American Indians.
Aside from genetics, a person’s eating habits is also to blame for the development of this condition. The prevalence of fast food and pre-processed foods that contain high percentage of fat, carbohydrates, sodium, calories, and preservatives definitely increase the risk of incurring diabetes.Soda and other instant fruit juice drinks that have extremely high sugar content are also culprits of a diabetic condition.
Unhealthy way of eating is being introduced to children worldwide. It is not surprising to know that today, more and more kids as young as 9 and adolescents are found to have a pre-diabetic condition. If left untreated, it could easily develop into Type 2 Diabetes in just a few years.
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A sedentary lifestyle also plays a major role in the prevalence of Diabetes. According to medical experts, a daily 30-minute walk or an exercise routine for at least 3 times a week can help prevent the risk of diabetes. Why is this?
A healthy dose of physical activity helps our body rid of excess fat and calories. When calories are used by our body, they are transformed into energy. On the other hand, if left unused, it would be stored in our body as glucose or sugar and would be absorbed in our blood streams. Excessive levels of glucose (sugar) in our blood leads to a diabetes.
Pregnant women need to become more aware of their health condition from early pregnancy to delivery especially if they have a history of diabetes in the family or if they are overweight. Although gestational diabetes is not a permanent condition, it should be recognized as a warning.
Even after pregnancy, a woman diagnosed with gestational diabetes should be vigilant about taking care of her health. Clearly, changing your eating habits and lifestyle is a must to reduce the possibility of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
