Managing Diabetes in Pregnant Women

According to the American Diabetes Association, type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body resists the use of insulin or when the body refuses to produce enough insulin required to maintain its glucose level. Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity. People living with type 2 diabetes can manage their health by either incorporating diet changes and maintaining a healthy lifestyle or by relying on medication or insulin.

Type 2 diabetes among pregnant women is not uncommon. Although it is advisable for women with type 2 diabetes to consult their endocrinologist to know if it is safe to be pregnant or not, it is no doubt that they must continue to practice diabetes self-management to keep their babies safe.

Pregnant women living with type 2 diabetes see being pregnant as good news, as type 2 diabetes causes a high rate of infertility amongst women. However, with self-monitoring and diabetes self-management, pregnant women can also have a safe delivery as other expectant women.

How to manage your health
Many health issues may arise if an expectant mother with type 2 diabetes refuses to monitor and manage her blood sugar levels. In a situation where the health isn’t treated as a priority and controlled effectively, excess sugar may be transferred to the baby and may result in the birth of an extra-large baby.

To effectively manage type 2 diabetes while pregnant, here are the things you need to do:

• Get your medical team in place: Unlike other expecting mothers, you have more reasons to see more professionals. You will have to work together with your health professionals to enable safe delivery. Your team should include an endocrinologist, a high-risk OB-GYN, a nutritionist, a certified diabetes educator, and a neonatologist.
• Fine-tune your diet plan: As a pregnant mother living with type 2 diabetes, your diet plan must include a balanced mix of carbohydrates and protein. At this stage, it is best to consult with your health professionals to know the meal plan that will keep your blood sugar level at the right level. Talk to your dietician about the expected weight gain to avoid complications as your medical history may require personalized recommendations rather than the general recommendation of 15-25 pounds for overweight women
• Have an exercise plan: An exercise plan will help to regulate your blood sugar level, keep you in good shape, and give you enough energy. Plan your exercise program with your doctor and ensure to follow the allocated time for each exercise. Avoid exercising in a warm environment and do not exercise to the point of exhaustion.
• Monitor your health regularly: Engage in diabetes self-monitoring to keep yourself informed of your health status. You can make use of diabetes tracking apps before a meal and one-two hours after meals. You should also see your doctor for routine urine tests, eye exams, and fetal electrocardiogram and to check if your baby is healthy.
• As type 2 diabetes affects a large part of the body system, uncontrolled high blood sugar can lead to complications. Complications may begin from high blood pressure to vision problems and even heart diseases. It can also affect the fetal nervous system, thus resulting in brain and spinal defects. In most cases, unmanaged high glucose level results in macrosomia, kidney disorder, jaundice, and polycythemia and heart problems.

According to Robin Goland, the research director at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Diabetes require self-care to do well. To him ”While many women find it easy to take care of others, they find it difficult to take care of themselves.”
Manage your health by taking care of yourself!

References
American Diabetes Association, (2019). Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. Diabetes Care, (42), 14

https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/type-2-diabetes

https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/type-2-diabetes/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20351193

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