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2012年9月13日 星期四

Gestational Diabetes Symptoms - Facts Every Pregnant Woman Should Know


Gestational diabetes means that the diabetes is diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes occurs in about three percent of all pregnancies.

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed using a three hour glucose tolerance test. If the glucose levels exceed any two of the upper limits of normal, the diagnosis is made. Rarely are the glucose levels elevated enough to harm the mother. the problem is that the mother's blood glucose flows freely into the growing fetus's blood. The fetus, in turn, releases insulin from its own pancreas to lower its own levels of glucose. This forces glucose into the fetus's tissues, causing it to become large for its gestational age and resulting in a difficult labor and delivery.

The increase in glucose appears to be due to a lack of insulin release or a resistance to insulin's action that was present in the mother before becoming pregnant. During pregnancy, the placenta releases high amounts of hormones that further decreases the effectiveness of the mother's insulin. This causes her blood glucose levels to increase. Since the placenta grows as the pregnancy progresses and continues to put out more and more hormones, the mother's insulin resistance increases and glucose levels rise higher, right up to the time of delivery. With the delivery of the baby and the removal of the placenta, however, the glucose level promptly return to normal in up to 97 percent of these women.

By making modifications in their diets and increasing their activity levels, many women are able to control the rising glucose levels during their pregnancies. For some, however, the insulin resistance is too great. These women require the use of insulin, generally prior to all meals and before going to bed, to keep glucose levels within a healthy range for the baby. New studies now underway are looking at the use of pills instead of insulin to control the glucose levels in women with gestational diabetes, but results are not yet in.

Gestational diabetes is often viewed as a window into the future. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a significantly higher chance of developing diabetes sometime in the future, at a general rate of about three percent each year. A few studies have shown that weight control and increased physical activity may lessen the chance for future diabetes by 50 percent. There are even studies currently underway to evaluate the ability of some of the new diabetes pills to prevent future diabetes in women who have had gestational diabetes.




MORE PROVEN NATURAL WAYS to get rid of diabetes straight away!. This method has been tested and proven by millions of people from across the globe.

Having diabetes should no more be seen as a problem. It's time to rise up to the challenges ahead and get rid of this monster called diabetes once and for all while saving more.

Hey! Here's the NEWEST DISCOVERY in town! You must act now to avert the looming danger! Take action today.

Mat Scort is a renowned physician who has helped millions of people across the globe like you, through his useful recommendations and tips.

It's time to join the band wagon and get a permanent cure to Diabetes.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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2012年9月9日 星期日

What Causes Gestational Diabetes? Key Facts on Where it Comes From and How to Control It


Gestational Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that tends to originate during the later stages of pregnancy. In the United States alone, around 135,000 pregnant women suffer from it every year.  And these numbers keep on increasing every year.  As like any other form of diabetes, this condition also involves abnormally increased concentrations of glucose in the blood.  However, nobody is absolutely sure about what causes gestational diabetes. Interestingly, the causes of the disease play an important role towards controlling gestational diabetes.

Exactly What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

According to experts, it is not possible to pinpoint the exact causes. However, research studies have revealed certain clues.

1. During pregnancy, the baby receives its nutrition from the mother through the placenta. Also, the placenta releases certain important body hormones such as estrogen and cortisol that are essential for protecting the health of the fetus.  Ironically, these same hormones also block the insulin receptors present on the cells, thereby causing reducing insulin response.  This phenomenon is better known as insulin resistance.  As a result, the body's normal response to insulin gets blocked, thereby causing problems in glucose absorption and metabolism. 

2. For preventing gestational diabetes occurrence in women, the human body adapts a natural control mechanism where the pancreas does excess work and produces extra quantities of insulin to cope with the situation.  It occurs when the pancreas can no longer produce any extra insulin.  At this point, a pregnant woman might need three times more insulin for controlling gestational diabetes.  An interesting fact about this condition is that the disease appears in 24th or 26th week of pregnancy. As the pregnancy time increases, the amount of placental hormones secreted into the blood also increase.  Due to this, even insulin resistance also increases.

3. Chances of this condition occurring increases in cases where the woman is aged above 35 years, has a familial history of this condition, is suffering with polycystic ovary syndrome, is obese, has already given birth to a child with birth defects or in women who had experienced this ailment during their first pregnancy.

Controlling This Condition:

It usually disappears after pregnancy.  However, controlling gestational diabetes is extremely important during pregnancy.  Otherwise, it can lead to severe complications in the fetus such as congenital defects, abnormal physiological and neurological developmental patterns, and conditions such as macrosomia, jaundice, hypoglycemia and injuries during birth time.  In the mother, this condition causes formation of overweight baby.  Due to this, delivery becomes extremely traumatic.  In women with this condition, there is an increased risk of preeclampsia characterized by hypertension and presence of excess protein in the urine. Also, women tend to develop type 2 diabetes after a couple of years.

Proper Prevention:

An important point to remember is what causes gestational diabetes is not nearly as important as preventing it from occurring or reoccurring in in the final analysis.  Some effective preventive measures include eating healthy foods that are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral and other nutrients, ensuring regular physical activity, maintain an appropriate height-to-weight ratio and lead a stress free life.




For more information on Gestational Diabetes Diet, try visiting http://www.curefordiabetes.org - it is a website offering solid tips and information on different diabetes treatments and diabetes in general.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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2012年8月28日 星期二

Gestational Diabetes Facts


Diabetes affects almost 200 million people worldwide today, and shows all the signs of being classified as a modern day epidemic. It is estimated that the number of diabetics in the world will double by the next decade. Studies have shown that the trend has a 2 to 1 ratio between women and men. The higher incidence of diabetes in women has also led to the existence of another type of diabetes known as gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes shows up in 4 to 8 percent of pregnancies, affecting 135,000 women in the United States alone each year. The biggest threat posed by gestational diabetes is that the developing infant runs a high risk of being born with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes affects 90 percent of the world's diabetics, and involves the blood cells having a high resistance rate to insulin, resulting in an increased demand on the pancreatic cells of the body which generate insulin. Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to obesity, and is a leading cause of both blindness and heart failure.

Women who develop gestational diabetes run the risk of complications during pregnancy aside from the fact that their infants may be born with type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes has been known to lead to hemorrhaging and other difficulties during childbirth, as well as leading to a few stillbirths. Thankfully, the number of fatalities as a result of the complications of gestational diabetes are low.

A large number of women who are affected by type 2 diabetes will also develop gestational diabetes during conception, though there are also reported cases where the women were never previously diagnosed with diabetes. Studies are still being conducted to support two theories regarding this; the first being that the women were never diagnosed with diabetes but had it to begin with in a milder latent form that was only diagnosed during pregnancy, and the second that the women developed diabetes during their pregnancy as a result of dietary imbalance, obesity, and lack of physical exercise.

There is enough evidence to support both theories. On the one hand, 2/3 of the people in Europe who were undergoing treatment for cardiovascular problems were actually discovered to have diabetes, and they simply were never diagnosed for it, which supports the first theory. On the other hand, the main leading cause of type 2 diabetes is high intake of sugar in the diet, intestinal obesity, and lack of exercise, all of which are factors which affect some pregnant women. This supports the second theory.

Whatever the case, diabetes is rapidly turning into an epidemic, and international health organizations and governments have begun to increase their research into finding ways to address this growing problem. In the United States, Senators Hilary Clinton and Susan Collins have recently introduced the Gestational Diabetes Act, which is being supported by the American Diabetes Association.

The act is intended to promote research into gestational diabetes and to try and find preventive measures and cures to the problem. Given the number of diabetics is increasing daily, this research is vital to keeping the problem of diabetes in general stemmed. While diabetes can be avoided by people who lead the right lifestyles by getting enough exercise and keeping proper diets, the children who are born with type 2 diabetes as a result of gestational diabetes in their mothers have no such defense.

----------------------------------------

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.




Charlene J. Nuble

For All the things you need to know about diabetes, please go to: Gestational Diabetes [http://www.yourdiabetes.org/]





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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2012年8月25日 星期六

Gestational Diabetes - The Facts and the Treatment


There is no greater gift for a mother than the joy of giving birth to a healthy child.

But sometimes, for some expectant mothers, the joy and promise of the pregnancy can be clouded by the possibility that they will develop a form of diabetes called gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

GDM is a temporary form of diabetes, a condition in which higher than normal blood sugar levels exist in the blood. While any form of diabetes can cause problems if allowed to go untreated, the pregnant mother can, by following the advice of her doctor and with the assistance of her health care team, look forward to a healthy and happy pregnancy that will provide a great start in life for the new baby.

Gestational diabetes only occurs in about 4 to 7 percent of pregnant women but is more frequent at up to about 10 percent and above in certain higher risk populations, those of African, Hispanic and South Asian descent and even higher for pregnant women of aboriginal descent. There are some other known factors that also increase the risk, all of which are well known and monitored by the medical profession.

If it should occur, gestational diabetes commences during the second and third trimesters and lasts until the baby is delivered. It is important to treat gestational diabetes during pregnancy to avoid complications to mother and baby.

Why sugars are in the blood

Sugars are needed by the cells of the body and occur in the blood quite naturally after eating food. The primary nutrients in food are classified as proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and together with water are essential for life to exist. The main source of the sugars are the carbohydrate portion of foods such as potatoes, pastas, breads, beans, and vegetables and they are also found in sweets, candies and soft drinks. The cells of the body use the sugars as fuel to provide the energy to maintain the complex processes of life. The problem of diabetes arises when the cells cannot take up the sugars because of an impaired system of control within the body.

The ways to manage and minimize the effects of gestational diabetes are well understood but they do depend to a large degree on the cooperation and understanding of the mother to be. That is not a lot different than all types of diabetes, but in the case of GDM, the condition normally ends when the baby arrives whereas for the full diabetic it lasts for a lifetime.

The treatment of gestational diabetes

Since the condition involves higher than normal levels of blood sugars, the objective is to do what is necessary to bring them down to safe levels and keep them there, the safe levels being those normally experienced by pregnant women who do not have GDM.

Treatment usually includes the adoption of a special but easy to follow meal plan that provides adequate nutrition while controlling blood sugar levels. The right amount of physical activity and weight gain are also factors that help a successful pregnancy and these would be monitored by the doctor to ensure the intensity of the activity is reasonable and the amount and rate of weight gain is appropriate for the pregnancy and any related risk factors.

If difficulty is encountered in achieving and maintaining recommended blood sugar levels, the doctor may prescribe medication including insulin, a special type known to be safe for use during pregnancy.

It may be necessary to self monitor blood sugar levels, a simple process done with a hand held metering device, the same as that used every day by most persons with diabetes. It is easy and quick, it takes about 30 seconds to get a reading, one soon gets used to it. It is valuable because it immediately shows how close to the necessary levels that the measured blood sugars are are at the time of the reading.

The recommended target levels for blood glucose during pregnancy:

The values listed below are guidelines only and are based on publications of the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) dated 2008. As for everything related to diabetes, always follow the advice of the doctor. The Canadian Diabetes Association's data is equal to the best available in the world, Canada is a leader among nations in the treatment of diabetes and the CDA has an aggressive stance in promoting good practices and treatment of the disease.

Early this year, 2010, a report of gestational studies was published by Chicago's Northwestern University stating the belief of researchers that the currently accepted blood sugar levels should be lowered to reduce the risks of the disease. If this was to happen, it would increases significantly the number of cases of gestational diabetes in North America,

Target levels for most pregnant women:

· Level after fasting are: 68.4 to 93.6 mg/dL (3.8 to 5.2 mmol/L)

· Level 1 hour after eating a meal are: 99 to 139 mg/dL (5.5 to 7.7 mmol/L)

· Level 2 hours after eating a meal are: 90 to 119 mg/dL (5.0 to 6.6 mmol/L)

· A1c Levels are: 6.0 % or less

Fasting is usually for about 8 to 10 hours overnight from the last meal in the evening until before breakfast the following morning

The A1c test provides an average read of blood glucose levels during the previous 120 days and measures the percentage of hemoglobin molecules that have glucose attached to them. Hemoglobin makes up about 35 percent of blood constituents.

After the arrival of the baby, that lovely bundle of joy, a warning



When labor begins, the gestational diabetes usually ends, but if the blood sugar levels of the mother are still high at the time of birth, which means that higher than normal levels of insulin may also be in the blood of mother and baby, the baby might immediately experience a significant drop in blood sugar levels, the opposite of diabetes. The doctor will be aware of and be prepared for this and may need to give a glucose injection to the baby to avoid a seizure or other complications. For this reason it is wisest for the birth to take place in a hospital where every care for mother and baby is readily available.

In cases where GMD has been a factor, and as a precaution, it is usual to test the blood of the new baby for glucose between about 6 weeks and 6 months after birth.

It should also be noted that a mother who has had gestational diabetes has a statistically increased risk, later in life, of developing type-2 diabetes, the most common form of all types of diabetes. Knowing that, it is wise to continue to follow a healthy diet and include physical activity in a daily lifestyle. Also, check periodically with your doctor who can order a blood test to monitor for the possibility of diabetes developing. Prevention beats cure but for type-2 diabetes there is no cure anyway.

It is also recommended, in order help reduce the risks of developing type-2 diabetes at a later time, that mothers breast-feed their new baby. And check with the doctor when planning another pregnancy.




Author's Comments:

For more information on gestational diabetes, including the conclusions from the Northwestern University report, referred to above, see the article titled: "Currently Accepted Blood Glucose Levels in Pregnancy Pose Risks to Mother and Child", here: Gestational Diabetes and for many other diabetes topics see Normal Blood Sugar Levels.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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2012年8月2日 星期四

What Causes Gestational Diabetes? Key Facts on Where it Comes From and How to Control It


Gestational Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that tends to originate during the later stages of pregnancy. In the United States alone, around 135,000 pregnant women suffer from it every year.  And these numbers keep on increasing every year.  As like any other form of diabetes, this condition also involves abnormally increased concentrations of glucose in the blood.  However, nobody is absolutely sure about what causes gestational diabetes. Interestingly, the causes of the disease play an important role towards controlling gestational diabetes.

Exactly What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

According to experts, it is not possible to pinpoint the exact causes. However, research studies have revealed certain clues.

1. During pregnancy, the baby receives its nutrition from the mother through the placenta. Also, the placenta releases certain important body hormones such as estrogen and cortisol that are essential for protecting the health of the fetus.  Ironically, these same hormones also block the insulin receptors present on the cells, thereby causing reducing insulin response.  This phenomenon is better known as insulin resistance.  As a result, the body's normal response to insulin gets blocked, thereby causing problems in glucose absorption and metabolism. 

2. For preventing gestational diabetes occurrence in women, the human body adapts a natural control mechanism where the pancreas does excess work and produces extra quantities of insulin to cope with the situation.  It occurs when the pancreas can no longer produce any extra insulin.  At this point, a pregnant woman might need three times more insulin for controlling gestational diabetes.  An interesting fact about this condition is that the disease appears in 24th or 26th week of pregnancy. As the pregnancy time increases, the amount of placental hormones secreted into the blood also increase.  Due to this, even insulin resistance also increases.

3. Chances of this condition occurring increases in cases where the woman is aged above 35 years, has a familial history of this condition, is suffering with polycystic ovary syndrome, is obese, has already given birth to a child with birth defects or in women who had experienced this ailment during their first pregnancy.

Controlling This Condition:

It usually disappears after pregnancy.  However, controlling gestational diabetes is extremely important during pregnancy.  Otherwise, it can lead to severe complications in the fetus such as congenital defects, abnormal physiological and neurological developmental patterns, and conditions such as macrosomia, jaundice, hypoglycemia and injuries during birth time.  In the mother, this condition causes formation of overweight baby.  Due to this, delivery becomes extremely traumatic.  In women with this condition, there is an increased risk of preeclampsia characterized by hypertension and presence of excess protein in the urine. Also, women tend to develop type 2 diabetes after a couple of years.

Proper Prevention:

An important point to remember is what causes gestational diabetes is not nearly as important as preventing it from occurring or reoccurring in in the final analysis.  Some effective preventive measures include eating healthy foods that are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral and other nutrients, ensuring regular physical activity, maintain an appropriate height-to-weight ratio and lead a stress free life.




For more information on Gestational Diabetes Diet, try visiting http://www.curefordiabetes.org - it is a website offering solid tips and information on different diabetes treatments and diabetes in general.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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標籤： , , , , , ,

2012年7月30日 星期一

Gestational Diabetes Symptoms - Facts Every Pregnant Woman Should Know


Gestational diabetes means that the diabetes is diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes occurs in about three percent of all pregnancies.

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed using a three hour glucose tolerance test. If the glucose levels exceed any two of the upper limits of normal, the diagnosis is made. Rarely are the glucose levels elevated enough to harm the mother. the problem is that the mother's blood glucose flows freely into the growing fetus's blood. The fetus, in turn, releases insulin from its own pancreas to lower its own levels of glucose. This forces glucose into the fetus's tissues, causing it to become large for its gestational age and resulting in a difficult labor and delivery.

The increase in glucose appears to be due to a lack of insulin release or a resistance to insulin's action that was present in the mother before becoming pregnant. During pregnancy, the placenta releases high amounts of hormones that further decreases the effectiveness of the mother's insulin. This causes her blood glucose levels to increase. Since the placenta grows as the pregnancy progresses and continues to put out more and more hormones, the mother's insulin resistance increases and glucose levels rise higher, right up to the time of delivery. With the delivery of the baby and the removal of the placenta, however, the glucose level promptly return to normal in up to 97 percent of these women.

By making modifications in their diets and increasing their activity levels, many women are able to control the rising glucose levels during their pregnancies. For some, however, the insulin resistance is too great. These women require the use of insulin, generally prior to all meals and before going to bed, to keep glucose levels within a healthy range for the baby. New studies now underway are looking at the use of pills instead of insulin to control the glucose levels in women with gestational diabetes, but results are not yet in.

Gestational diabetes is often viewed as a window into the future. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a significantly higher chance of developing diabetes sometime in the future, at a general rate of about three percent each year. A few studies have shown that weight control and increased physical activity may lessen the chance for future diabetes by 50 percent. There are even studies currently underway to evaluate the ability of some of the new diabetes pills to prevent future diabetes in women who have had gestational diabetes.




MORE PROVEN NATURAL WAYS to get rid of diabetes straight away!. This method has been tested and proven by millions of people from across the globe.

Having diabetes should no more be seen as a problem. It's time to rise up to the challenges ahead and get rid of this monster called diabetes once and for all while saving more.

Hey! Here's the NEWEST DISCOVERY in town! You must act now to avert the looming danger! Take action today.

Mat Scort is a renowned physician who has helped millions of people across the globe like you, through his useful recommendations and tips.

It's time to join the band wagon and get a permanent cure to Diabetes.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 0 意見
標籤： , , , , , , ,

2012年7月13日 星期五

Gestational Diabetes - The Facts and the Treatment


There is no greater gift for a mother than the joy of giving birth to a healthy child.

But sometimes, for some expectant mothers, the joy and promise of the pregnancy can be clouded by the possibility that they will develop a form of diabetes called gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

GDM is a temporary form of diabetes, a condition in which higher than normal blood sugar levels exist in the blood. While any form of diabetes can cause problems if allowed to go untreated, the pregnant mother can, by following the advice of her doctor and with the assistance of her health care team, look forward to a healthy and happy pregnancy that will provide a great start in life for the new baby.

Gestational diabetes only occurs in about 4 to 7 percent of pregnant women but is more frequent at up to about 10 percent and above in certain higher risk populations, those of African, Hispanic and South Asian descent and even higher for pregnant women of aboriginal descent. There are some other known factors that also increase the risk, all of which are well known and monitored by the medical profession.

If it should occur, gestational diabetes commences during the second and third trimesters and lasts until the baby is delivered. It is important to treat gestational diabetes during pregnancy to avoid complications to mother and baby.

Why sugars are in the blood

Sugars are needed by the cells of the body and occur in the blood quite naturally after eating food. The primary nutrients in food are classified as proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and together with water are essential for life to exist. The main source of the sugars are the carbohydrate portion of foods such as potatoes, pastas, breads, beans, and vegetables and they are also found in sweets, candies and soft drinks. The cells of the body use the sugars as fuel to provide the energy to maintain the complex processes of life. The problem of diabetes arises when the cells cannot take up the sugars because of an impaired system of control within the body.

The ways to manage and minimize the effects of gestational diabetes are well understood but they do depend to a large degree on the cooperation and understanding of the mother to be. That is not a lot different than all types of diabetes, but in the case of GDM, the condition normally ends when the baby arrives whereas for the full diabetic it lasts for a lifetime.

The treatment of gestational diabetes

Since the condition involves higher than normal levels of blood sugars, the objective is to do what is necessary to bring them down to safe levels and keep them there, the safe levels being those normally experienced by pregnant women who do not have GDM.

Treatment usually includes the adoption of a special but easy to follow meal plan that provides adequate nutrition while controlling blood sugar levels. The right amount of physical activity and weight gain are also factors that help a successful pregnancy and these would be monitored by the doctor to ensure the intensity of the activity is reasonable and the amount and rate of weight gain is appropriate for the pregnancy and any related risk factors.

If difficulty is encountered in achieving and maintaining recommended blood sugar levels, the doctor may prescribe medication including insulin, a special type known to be safe for use during pregnancy.

It may be necessary to self monitor blood sugar levels, a simple process done with a hand held metering device, the same as that used every day by most persons with diabetes. It is easy and quick, it takes about 30 seconds to get a reading, one soon gets used to it. It is valuable because it immediately shows how close to the necessary levels that the measured blood sugars are are at the time of the reading.

The recommended target levels for blood glucose during pregnancy:

The values listed below are guidelines only and are based on publications of the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) dated 2008. As for everything related to diabetes, always follow the advice of the doctor. The Canadian Diabetes Association's data is equal to the best available in the world, Canada is a leader among nations in the treatment of diabetes and the CDA has an aggressive stance in promoting good practices and treatment of the disease.

Early this year, 2010, a report of gestational studies was published by Chicago's Northwestern University stating the belief of researchers that the currently accepted blood sugar levels should be lowered to reduce the risks of the disease. If this was to happen, it would increases significantly the number of cases of gestational diabetes in North America,

Target levels for most pregnant women:

· Level after fasting are: 68.4 to 93.6 mg/dL (3.8 to 5.2 mmol/L)

· Level 1 hour after eating a meal are: 99 to 139 mg/dL (5.5 to 7.7 mmol/L)

· Level 2 hours after eating a meal are: 90 to 119 mg/dL (5.0 to 6.6 mmol/L)

· A1c Levels are: 6.0 % or less

Fasting is usually for about 8 to 10 hours overnight from the last meal in the evening until before breakfast the following morning

The A1c test provides an average read of blood glucose levels during the previous 120 days and measures the percentage of hemoglobin molecules that have glucose attached to them. Hemoglobin makes up about 35 percent of blood constituents.

After the arrival of the baby, that lovely bundle of joy, a warning



When labor begins, the gestational diabetes usually ends, but if the blood sugar levels of the mother are still high at the time of birth, which means that higher than normal levels of insulin may also be in the blood of mother and baby, the baby might immediately experience a significant drop in blood sugar levels, the opposite of diabetes. The doctor will be aware of and be prepared for this and may need to give a glucose injection to the baby to avoid a seizure or other complications. For this reason it is wisest for the birth to take place in a hospital where every care for mother and baby is readily available.

In cases where GMD has been a factor, and as a precaution, it is usual to test the blood of the new baby for glucose between about 6 weeks and 6 months after birth.

It should also be noted that a mother who has had gestational diabetes has a statistically increased risk, later in life, of developing type-2 diabetes, the most common form of all types of diabetes. Knowing that, it is wise to continue to follow a healthy diet and include physical activity in a daily lifestyle. Also, check periodically with your doctor who can order a blood test to monitor for the possibility of diabetes developing. Prevention beats cure but for type-2 diabetes there is no cure anyway.

It is also recommended, in order help reduce the risks of developing type-2 diabetes at a later time, that mothers breast-feed their new baby. And check with the doctor when planning another pregnancy.




Author's Comments:

For more information on gestational diabetes, including the conclusions from the Northwestern University report, referred to above, see the article titled: "Currently Accepted Blood Glucose Levels in Pregnancy Pose Risks to Mother and Child", here: Gestational Diabetes and for many other diabetes topics see Normal Blood Sugar Levels.





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

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2012年6月27日 星期三

Gestational Diabetes Facts


Diabetes affects almost 200 million people worldwide today, and shows all the signs of being classified as a modern day epidemic. It is estimated that the number of diabetics in the world will double by the next decade. Studies have shown that the trend has a 2 to 1 ratio between women and men. The higher incidence of diabetes in women has also led to the existence of another type of diabetes known as gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes shows up in 4 to 8 percent of pregnancies, affecting 135,000 women in the United States alone each year. The biggest threat posed by gestational diabetes is that the developing infant runs a high risk of being born with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes affects 90 percent of the world's diabetics, and involves the blood cells having a high resistance rate to insulin, resulting in an increased demand on the pancreatic cells of the body which generate insulin. Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to obesity, and is a leading cause of both blindness and heart failure.

Women who develop gestational diabetes run the risk of complications during pregnancy aside from the fact that their infants may be born with type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes has been known to lead to hemorrhaging and other difficulties during childbirth, as well as leading to a few stillbirths. Thankfully, the number of fatalities as a result of the complications of gestational diabetes are low.

A large number of women who are affected by type 2 diabetes will also develop gestational diabetes during conception, though there are also reported cases where the women were never previously diagnosed with diabetes. Studies are still being conducted to support two theories regarding this; the first being that the women were never diagnosed with diabetes but had it to begin with in a milder latent form that was only diagnosed during pregnancy, and the second that the women developed diabetes during their pregnancy as a result of dietary imbalance, obesity, and lack of physical exercise.

There is enough evidence to support both theories. On the one hand, 2/3 of the people in Europe who were undergoing treatment for cardiovascular problems were actually discovered to have diabetes, and they simply were never diagnosed for it, which supports the first theory. On the other hand, the main leading cause of type 2 diabetes is high intake of sugar in the diet, intestinal obesity, and lack of exercise, all of which are factors which affect some pregnant women. This supports the second theory.

Whatever the case, diabetes is rapidly turning into an epidemic, and international health organizations and governments have begun to increase their research into finding ways to address this growing problem. In the United States, Senators Hilary Clinton and Susan Collins have recently introduced the Gestational Diabetes Act, which is being supported by the American Diabetes Association.

The act is intended to promote research into gestational diabetes and to try and find preventive measures and cures to the problem. Given the number of diabetics is increasing daily, this research is vital to keeping the problem of diabetes in general stemmed. While diabetes can be avoided by people who lead the right lifestyles by getting enough exercise and keeping proper diets, the children who are born with type 2 diabetes as a result of gestational diabetes in their mothers have no such defense.

----------------------------------------

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.




Charlene J. Nuble

For All the things you need to know about diabetes, please go to: Gestational Diabetes [http://www.yourdiabetes.org/]





This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

張貼者： 於 0 意見
標籤： , ,

2012年5月31日 星期四

What Causes Gestational Diabetes? Key Facts on Where it Comes From and How to Control It


Gestational Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that tends to originate during the later stages of pregnancy. In the United States alone, around 135,000 pregnant women suffer from it every year.  And these numbers keep on increasing every year.  As like any other form of diabetes, this condition also involves abnormally increased concentrations of glucose in the blood.  However, nobody is absolutely sure about what causes gestational diabetes. Interestingly, the causes of the disease play an important role towards controlling gestational diabetes.

Exactly What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

According to experts, it is not possible to pinpoint the exact causes. However, research studies have revealed certain clues.

1. During pregnancy, the baby receives its nutrition from the mother through the placenta. Also, the placenta releases certain important body hormones such as estrogen and cortisol that are essential for protecting the health of the fetus.  Ironically, these same hormones also block the insulin receptors present on the cells, thereby causing reducing insulin response.  This phenomenon is better known as insulin resistance.  As a result, the body's normal response to insulin gets blocked, thereby causing problems in glucose absorption and metabolism. 

2. For preventing gestational diabetes occurrence in women, the human body adapts a natural control mechanism where the pancreas does excess work and produces extra quantities of insulin to cope with the situation.  It occurs when the pancreas can no longer produce any extra insulin.  At this point, a pregnant woman might need three times more insulin for controlling gestational diabetes.  An interesting fact about this condition is that the disease appears in 24th or 26th week of pregnancy. As the pregnancy time increases, the amount of placental hormones secreted into the blood also increase.  Due to this, even insulin resistance also increases.

3. Chances of this condition occurring increases in cases where the woman is aged above 35 years, has a familial history of this condition, is suffering with polycystic ovary syndrome, is obese, has already given birth to a child with birth defects or in women who had experienced this ailment during their first pregnancy.

Controlling This Condition:

It usually disappears after pregnancy.  However, controlling gestational diabetes is extremely important during pregnancy.  Otherwise, it can lead to severe complications in the fetus such as congenital defects, abnormal physiological and neurological developmental patterns, and conditions such as macrosomia, jaundice, hypoglycemia and injuries during birth time.  In the mother, this condition causes formation of overweight baby.  Due to this, delivery becomes extremely traumatic.  In women with this condition, there is an increased risk of preeclampsia characterized by hypertension and presence of excess protein in the urine. Also, women tend to develop type 2 diabetes after a couple of years.

Proper Prevention:

An important point to remember is what causes gestational diabetes is not nearly as important as preventing it from occurring or reoccurring in in the final analysis.  Some effective preventive measures include eating healthy foods that are rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral and other nutrients, ensuring regular physical activity, maintain an appropriate height-to-weight ratio and lead a stress free life.




For more information on Gestational Diabetes Diet, try visiting http://www.curefordiabetes.org - it is a website offering solid tips and information on different diabetes treatments and diabetes in general.





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2012年5月22日 星期二

Gestational Diabetes - The Facts and the Treatment


There is no greater gift for a mother than the joy of giving birth to a healthy child.

But sometimes, for some expectant mothers, the joy and promise of the pregnancy can be clouded by the possibility that they will develop a form of diabetes called gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

GDM is a temporary form of diabetes, a condition in which higher than normal blood sugar levels exist in the blood. While any form of diabetes can cause problems if allowed to go untreated, the pregnant mother can, by following the advice of her doctor and with the assistance of her health care team, look forward to a healthy and happy pregnancy that will provide a great start in life for the new baby.

Gestational diabetes only occurs in about 4 to 7 percent of pregnant women but is more frequent at up to about 10 percent and above in certain higher risk populations, those of African, Hispanic and South Asian descent and even higher for pregnant women of aboriginal descent. There are some other known factors that also increase the risk, all of which are well known and monitored by the medical profession.

If it should occur, gestational diabetes commences during the second and third trimesters and lasts until the baby is delivered. It is important to treat gestational diabetes during pregnancy to avoid complications to mother and baby.

Why sugars are in the blood

Sugars are needed by the cells of the body and occur in the blood quite naturally after eating food. The primary nutrients in food are classified as proteins, fats and carbohydrates, and together with water are essential for life to exist. The main source of the sugars are the carbohydrate portion of foods such as potatoes, pastas, breads, beans, and vegetables and they are also found in sweets, candies and soft drinks. The cells of the body use the sugars as fuel to provide the energy to maintain the complex processes of life. The problem of diabetes arises when the cells cannot take up the sugars because of an impaired system of control within the body.

The ways to manage and minimize the effects of gestational diabetes are well understood but they do depend to a large degree on the cooperation and understanding of the mother to be. That is not a lot different than all types of diabetes, but in the case of GDM, the condition normally ends when the baby arrives whereas for the full diabetic it lasts for a lifetime.

The treatment of gestational diabetes

Since the condition involves higher than normal levels of blood sugars, the objective is to do what is necessary to bring them down to safe levels and keep them there, the safe levels being those normally experienced by pregnant women who do not have GDM.

Treatment usually includes the adoption of a special but easy to follow meal plan that provides adequate nutrition while controlling blood sugar levels. The right amount of physical activity and weight gain are also factors that help a successful pregnancy and these would be monitored by the doctor to ensure the intensity of the activity is reasonable and the amount and rate of weight gain is appropriate for the pregnancy and any related risk factors.

If difficulty is encountered in achieving and maintaining recommended blood sugar levels, the doctor may prescribe medication including insulin, a special type known to be safe for use during pregnancy.

It may be necessary to self monitor blood sugar levels, a simple process done with a hand held metering device, the same as that used every day by most persons with diabetes. It is easy and quick, it takes about 30 seconds to get a reading, one soon gets used to it. It is valuable because it immediately shows how close to the necessary levels that the measured blood sugars are are at the time of the reading.

The recommended target levels for blood glucose during pregnancy:

The values listed below are guidelines only and are based on publications of the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA) dated 2008. As for everything related to diabetes, always follow the advice of the doctor. The Canadian Diabetes Association's data is equal to the best available in the world, Canada is a leader among nations in the treatment of diabetes and the CDA has an aggressive stance in promoting good practices and treatment of the disease.

Early this year, 2010, a report of gestational studies was published by Chicago's Northwestern University stating the belief of researchers that the currently accepted blood sugar levels should be lowered to reduce the risks of the disease. If this was to happen, it would increases significantly the number of cases of gestational diabetes in North America,

Target levels for most pregnant women:

· Level after fasting are: 68.4 to 93.6 mg/dL (3.8 to 5.2 mmol/L)

· Level 1 hour after eating a meal are: 99 to 139 mg/dL (5.5 to 7.7 mmol/L)

· Level 2 hours after eating a meal are: 90 to 119 mg/dL (5.0 to 6.6 mmol/L)

· A1c Levels are: 6.0 % or less

Fasting is usually for about 8 to 10 hours overnight from the last meal in the evening until before breakfast the following morning

The A1c test provides an average read of blood glucose levels during the previous 120 days and measures the percentage of hemoglobin molecules that have glucose attached to them. Hemoglobin makes up about 35 percent of blood constituents.

After the arrival of the baby, that lovely bundle of joy, a warning



When labor begins, the gestational diabetes usually ends, but if the blood sugar levels of the mother are still high at the time of birth, which means that higher than normal levels of insulin may also be in the blood of mother and baby, the baby might immediately experience a significant drop in blood sugar levels, the opposite of diabetes. The doctor will be aware of and be prepared for this and may need to give a glucose injection to the baby to avoid a seizure or other complications. For this reason it is wisest for the birth to take place in a hospital where every care for mother and baby is readily available.

In cases where GMD has been a factor, and as a precaution, it is usual to test the blood of the new baby for glucose between about 6 weeks and 6 months after birth.

It should also be noted that a mother who has had gestational diabetes has a statistically increased risk, later in life, of developing type-2 diabetes, the most common form of all types of diabetes. Knowing that, it is wise to continue to follow a healthy diet and include physical activity in a daily lifestyle. Also, check periodically with your doctor who can order a blood test to monitor for the possibility of diabetes developing. Prevention beats cure but for type-2 diabetes there is no cure anyway.

It is also recommended, in order help reduce the risks of developing type-2 diabetes at a later time, that mothers breast-feed their new baby. And check with the doctor when planning another pregnancy.




Author's Comments:

For more information on gestational diabetes, including the conclusions from the Northwestern University report, referred to above, see the article titled: "Currently Accepted Blood Glucose Levels in Pregnancy Pose Risks to Mother and Child", here: Gestational Diabetes and for many other diabetes topics see Normal Blood Sugar Levels.





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2012年5月9日 星期三

Gestational Diabetes Facts


Diabetes affects almost 200 million people worldwide today, and shows all the signs of being classified as a modern day epidemic. It is estimated that the number of diabetics in the world will double by the next decade. Studies have shown that the trend has a 2 to 1 ratio between women and men. The higher incidence of diabetes in women has also led to the existence of another type of diabetes known as gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes shows up in 4 to 8 percent of pregnancies, affecting 135,000 women in the United States alone each year. The biggest threat posed by gestational diabetes is that the developing infant runs a high risk of being born with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes affects 90 percent of the world's diabetics, and involves the blood cells having a high resistance rate to insulin, resulting in an increased demand on the pancreatic cells of the body which generate insulin. Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to obesity, and is a leading cause of both blindness and heart failure.

Women who develop gestational diabetes run the risk of complications during pregnancy aside from the fact that their infants may be born with type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes has been known to lead to hemorrhaging and other difficulties during childbirth, as well as leading to a few stillbirths. Thankfully, the number of fatalities as a result of the complications of gestational diabetes are low.

A large number of women who are affected by type 2 diabetes will also develop gestational diabetes during conception, though there are also reported cases where the women were never previously diagnosed with diabetes. Studies are still being conducted to support two theories regarding this; the first being that the women were never diagnosed with diabetes but had it to begin with in a milder latent form that was only diagnosed during pregnancy, and the second that the women developed diabetes during their pregnancy as a result of dietary imbalance, obesity, and lack of physical exercise.

There is enough evidence to support both theories. On the one hand, 2/3 of the people in Europe who were undergoing treatment for cardiovascular problems were actually discovered to have diabetes, and they simply were never diagnosed for it, which supports the first theory. On the other hand, the main leading cause of type 2 diabetes is high intake of sugar in the diet, intestinal obesity, and lack of exercise, all of which are factors which affect some pregnant women. This supports the second theory.

Whatever the case, diabetes is rapidly turning into an epidemic, and international health organizations and governments have begun to increase their research into finding ways to address this growing problem. In the United States, Senators Hilary Clinton and Susan Collins have recently introduced the Gestational Diabetes Act, which is being supported by the American Diabetes Association.

The act is intended to promote research into gestational diabetes and to try and find preventive measures and cures to the problem. Given the number of diabetics is increasing daily, this research is vital to keeping the problem of diabetes in general stemmed. While diabetes can be avoided by people who lead the right lifestyles by getting enough exercise and keeping proper diets, the children who are born with type 2 diabetes as a result of gestational diabetes in their mothers have no such defense.

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Charlene J. Nuble

For All the things you need to know about diabetes, please go to: Gestational Diabetes [http://www.yourdiabetes.org/]





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