Preventing Gestational Diabetes While Pregnant

Gestational diabetes is a disorder that affects about two to seven percent of pregnant women. It is a pregnancy complication that be dangerous to the mother and the unborn baby. Preventing this pregnancy complication is possible through diet and exercise.
Signs of Gestational Diabetes
This pregnancy complication happens when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin, or produce it properly. It generally occurs in the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy, and generally disappears soon after delivery. The following are signs of gestational diabetes:
* Excessive weight gain
* Excessive hunger or thirst
* Excessive urination
* Recurring vaginal infections
This pregnancy complication is generally diagnosed after a pregnant woman is given a glucose tolerance test between weeks 24 to 28 of pregnancy. This involves drinking a glucose solution, and having blood drawn an hour afterwards. The blood is analyzed to see if the glucose level is above a certain amount.
Women who have a family history of diabetes, or who have had gestational diabetes in previous pregnancies are at higher disk for developing it. Those who are obese or who have sugar in their urine are also at higher risk.
Treating and Preventing Gestational Diabetes Through Diet and Exercise
There are a variety of dietary things that you can do to either treat or prevent this pregnancy complication:
* Do not skip meals. Doing so will throw off your blood sugar levels, which will ultimately affect your insulin levels.
* Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day. Between five to six smaller sized meals, spaced out about 2 to 3 hours apart is good for stabilizing your blood sugar levels, and for keeping your metabolism working efficiently.
* Eliminate refined sugar and simple carbohydrates from your diet. These are absorbed quickly into your bloodstream and cause blood sugars to rise rapidly.
* Eat foods high in fiber. Doing so will slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream and help stabilize blood sugar levels.
* Limit sweets.
* Exercise regularly. Exercising at a moderate intensity level three times per week decreases blood sugar levels. It also burns calories and offsets excessive weight gain, which can directly effect the onset of gestational diabetes.
It is much better to prevent than treat gestational diabetes. If possible, try to follow these guidelines starting at pre-conception, and follow through during your entire pregnancy.
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