Diabetes is a serious condition and should be treated seriously. Having a child if you're already diabetic requires some preparation beforehand, and even if you don't already have diabetes you should know some facts about how diabetes can develop once you do become pregnant.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and are thinking of conceiving, you will need to ensure, first of all, that you get your blood sugar levels under control beforehand. Make sure that you're following all of your doctor's advice in this regard (including exercising, losing some weight if necessary, and abstaining from drinking alcohol). Secondly, once you do become pregnant, make sure that you carefully monitor your blood sugar levels throughout, to help ensure that you and your baby avoid any potential (and rare) complications. Since women with diabetes are more likely to miscarry, consider acupuncture as a natural method of preventing this from happening.
If you don't presently have diabetes, there is little to worry about in this regard before conceiving. However, when you do become pregnant, especially into your third trimester, a temporary form of diabetes called 'gestational diabetes' can become a real concern for any moms-to-be. Your doctor will tell you if you are in danger of developing this condition, which can remain temporary or can sometimes become permanent, even passed on to your child. Here are some tips on what you need to know about gestational diabetes, and what you can do to prevent and/or manage it to keep it from becoming more serious.
1. Like other forms of diabetes, gestational diabetes means that you have abnormally high levels of sugar in your blood. Normally, this happens because of your genetics combined with other factors, such as diet, exercise, and how much abdominal fat you carry on your waistline. But with pregnancy, your hormones make your cells less responsive to insulin, which is fine if your pancreas can secrete more to compensate. It's when your pancreas can't keep up with the extra workload that your blood sugar levels get too high and you develop gestational diabetes.
2. Because there are often no signs for gestational diabetes, you will need to be tested around week 24 of your pregnancy, unless you already are at high risk for diabetes, in which case you may be tested as early as your first prenatal visit, and then again later on. Because of variables on these types of tests, you may need a follow-up test even though there is likely nothing to be concerned about.
3. The risk factors for developing gestational diabetes include the following:
- you have a BMI over 30
- you've had gestational diabetes previously
- you have a family history of diabetes
- you've previously given birth to a baby over 9 pounds in weight
- you have high blood pressure
- you're over 35 years old
4. If you do happen to develop gestational diabetes, don't be too alarmed. Most likely your baby will still be perfectly healthy. Nonetheless, if you do get diagnosed, do try to make some dietary changes and exercise (such as prenatal yoga) so that you can get your blood sugar levels under control. Doing this will help ensure that you and your baby avoid any complications, including permanent diabetes for both of you, as well as issues with delivery.
Essentially, when it comes to pregnancy, it's a great idea to take folic acid and other recommended supplements such as calcium and multivitamins. Follow your doctor's advice. Do try acupuncture to keep things under control, and try it as a complement to good health habits such as following a proper diet plan and exercising regularly.
By Richard Lobbenberg, Acupuncturist and TCM Practitioner
