Pregnancy Care For The Diabetic Patient
If you develop diabetes during pregnancy, it is called gestational diabetes. This type of diabetes generally resolves after childbirth, however, in some people, it can persist after the baby is born. Diabetes during pregnancy can raise the risk for a serious condition known as preeclampsia, which causes high blood and can lead to internal organ damage. If you have diabetes, it is essential that you seek pregnancy help and appropriate care from your obstetrician. Here are some pregnancy care suggestions your physician may recommend to help lower your blood glucose levels.
Dietary Interventions
Your obstetrician will recommend a therapeutic diet to manage your diabetes. A diabetic diet limits your intake of sugar and trans fats and focuses on complex carbohydrates such as fresh fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids that are found in tuna and salmon, low-fat dairy products, lean sources of protein, and grains.
If you have preeclampsia related to your gestational diabetes, a diabetic therapeutic diet may also help decrease your blood pressure and discourage ankle edema. Your doctor may refer you to a nutritionist, who will help you develop a therapeutic diet to help keep you and your baby healthy. It is also important to note, that maternal diabetes can also cause high birth weight newborns and neonatal respiratory problems.
Medications
Medical management of gestational diabetes can keep your blood sugar levels within normal limits for the duration of your pregnancy. While your obstetrician may prescribe subcutaneous insulin infections, they may also recommend oral anti-glycemic medications instead.
Before insulin or oral anti-diabetic medications are prescribed, however, your physician may want you to try non-medication interventions first, including eating a healthy diet, exercising if you are able to do so, not gaining too much weight during your pregnancy, and trying to manage your stress. High levels of stress can promote cortisol release, which can significantly raise your blood glucose levels. If you need help managing your stress, your doctor may refer you to a mental health professional.
See your obstetrician on a regular basis so that you can receive gestational diabetes pregnancy help. When your gestational diabetes is well-managed, it may be more likely to resolve once you give birth. Conversely, poorly-managed gestational diabetes may cause your diabetes to persist, even after delivering your newborn. When you follow your doctor's diabetes recommendations, you and your baby will be more likely to enjoy a more favorable long-term prognosis.
To learn more about pregnancy care options, contact a local obstetrician.