DIABETES AND PREGNANCY

Normally diabetes put quite a lot of pressure on women. Pregnant women who have diabetes are at risk of having a miscarriage, stillbirth or a baby with congenital defects.

Women who have diabetes can have very safe pregnancy and very healthy baby once their blood glucose is managed properly all through the pregnancy.
It is important for women who have diabetes to plan their pregnancy ahead, this will help them keep the blood glucose on target levels:

• Fasting blood glucose 60-100/dl
• 2 hours after meal 100-140mg/dl
• HBA1c level at <7.0% 

If the blood glucose level is controlled and kept as close to normal as possible before pregnancy, the risk associated with diabetes especially birth defects can be prevented, this is based on the fact that baby's organ formation is usually in the first few weeks (6-8) of pregnancy. Achieving and maintaining good control levels will not only prevent birth defects but will also help control the weight of the baby in the second trimester.Pregnant women living with diabetes tend to have babies who are too big for normal delivery.

MANAGEMENT TIPS FOR DIABETES CONTROL IN PREGNANCY

• Monitor your blood glucose level more often. It will be great if you get a glucometer (blood glucose monitoring device) to keep track of your blood glucose level.
• Find a meal plan that works for you during the pregnancy. Eat small portions of food at a time and try to snack between meal instead of eating one heavy meal.
• Try taking dry food to avoid nausea or vomiting.  Note that dry food like crackers biscuits can help control nausea.

• Women with type 2 diabetes may need insulin during pregnancy, while those with type 1 may need to increase their insulin dosage. 

As a rule , visit your health care provider and determine what works best for you and follow the plan.                                                                                                   

WHAT CAUSES DIABETES?

Diabetes is grouped into 2 types:
1.Type 1: This is also called insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile diabetes. It is common in children. It is usually caused by the inability of the pancrease to produce insulin.

2. Type 2: Non-insulin dependent diabetes, this type is common in adults. This occurs either as a result of the pancrease not been able to produce enough insulin or the body cells are not making use of the insulin.

3. Gestational diabetes: this is the type of glucose impairment that sets in during pregnancy. It usually resolves after delivery. Those who had gestational diabetes are likely to have type 2 diabetes in future.

SUGAR NOT THE CAUSE
Contraly to what a lot of people believe, sugar is not the main cause of diabetes. Sugar only make diabetes worse but not a cause.

Type 1 diabetes is as a result of the inability of the body to produce the hormone INSULIN which is the key that opens up the body cells to enable them use insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is caused by the inability of the body cells to use the INSULIN or the insulin produce is too little.

INSULIN is produced by the Beta cells in the islets of the Langerhan in the pancrease.