Gestational Diabetes in Pregnant Women
In this section of Seattle Organic Restaurants, I'm going to talk about gestational diabetes in pregnant women.
For screening gestational diabetes, pregnant women should have a glucose test between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy. The fact is that we are living in an environment that being overweight or obese is considered normal but the reality is that being overweight or obese is unhealthy and can actually be harmful for your child during pregnancy. Women who lose weight before pregnancy are less likely to develop gestational diabetes.
Women with higher BMI should have less weight gain during pregnancy. Here is the medicine institute guideline for healthy weight gain during pregnancy:
For BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 (healthy weight), the weight gain should be 25 Ibs to 35 Ibs,
For BMI of 25 to 29.9, the weight gain should be 15 Ibs to 25 Ibs
& For BMI over 30, the weight gain should be 11 Ibs to 20 Ibs.
The gestational diabetes of the mother (depending on how high her blood sugar level is) could be controlled by strict diet and routine exercise.
Eating more complex carbohydrates like green superfoods and protein can lower the blood sugar level. Gestational diabetes for both mother and the baby can have long term side effects like type 2 diabetes. Women who have a history of gestational diabetes are 35% to 60% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years after their pregnancy. Moderate weight loss in women who are pre-diabetic or have a history of gestational diabetes can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by 50%. Moderate weight loss can happen by a combination of well-balanced diet and regular exercise.
Women with history of gestational diabetes are more likely to have gestational diabetes in their second pregnancy. Losing weight will put the mother in much better position not to develop gestational diabetes. Any small weight loss can make a big difference, so in the next pregnancy the likelihood of developing diabetes is much less.
