Diabetes is one if the most common ailments in the world. Being so, it is also one of the leading causes of death. The dreaded thing about diabetes is that it causes various complications that affects the kidney, the lungs, the heart, and various other body parts and causes a total breakdown of the system, thus inviting a lot of ailments and possibly death.

In cases of pregnant women, there is a greater risk of diabetes because of the nature of one’s condition as well as the food intake during pregnancy. Moreover, because of the fragile condition, there is an even greater risk as compared to those faced by non-pregnant women.

Causes of Diabetes During Pregnancy

The main culprit behind the development of diabetes is a condition called insulin resistance when the body fails to properly absorb the glucose taken from foods. In order to understand things better, it’s best if we go through the process step by step:

1)First, glucose comes from the food that we take. During pregnancy, the glucose that is derived from food is the baby’s only source of nourishment. The glucose absorbed by the mother is passed through the placenta onto the baby.

2)During pregnancy, the placenta produces certain hormones in order to help the baby develop. However, these hormones can make it harder for the body to use insulin. This condition is called insulin resistance.

3)If the placenta produces too much anti-insulin hormones, it will block the transport of glucose from the bloodstream to the cells for absorption. As a result, glucose builds up in the bloodstream that then leads to diabetes.

Risk Factors in Developing Diabetes During Pregnancy

1)If a woman has a family history of diabetes, there is a big chance that she will develop the condition herself. In such cases, a woman is commonly advised not to get pregnant due to the complications and risks that she may encounter during pregnancy. However, if she does get pregnant, the condition is strictly monitored to make sure that her health and that of the baby will be maintained.

2)Those who gave birth to babies before who weighed more than 9 lbs are more likely to develop diabetes during pregnancy. The same thing is also the case with those who have given birth to stillborn babies before.

3)If a woman is over the age of 25 and is obese, there is the risk that she will develop diabetes during pregnancy. Moreover, studies suggest that most women who contract diabetes during pregnancy are those who are African-American, Native American, and Hispanic.

Treatments for Diabetes During Pregnancy

Any treatment that one should take for diabetes during pregnancy must be carefully chosen in view of the fragile condition of the woman. As such, most treatments focus on avoiding the spread of the disease as well as the avoidance of complications. One way to do this is to strictly monitor the type and amount of food intake of a pregnant woman. This is important in order to make sure that the body will not stock up on sugar that can worsen the condition.