How soon can women overcome gestational diabetes post-pregnancy/ childbirth? What women must know by Dr. Suhasini

When a woman who has never had diabetes gets high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, she is said to have gestational diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that helps to maintain a healthy level of blood sugar. Higher amounts of other hormones can interfere with your body's ability to respond to insulin during pregnancy, resulting in high blood sugar. Gestational diabetes usually gets cured after the delivery as blood sugar level comes down. But it sometimes can turn into Type 2 diabetes.

1. How can gestational diabetes be a problem even if it is curable? It can be a problem as the high blood sugar level can bypass the placenta and sometimes be a problem for the unborn baby.
2. How can it affect the newborn? Gestational diabetes can cause breathing issues, low levels of calcium, low blood sugar at the time of birth. High blood sugar levels can also cause an excessive buildup of amniotic fluid, macrosomia, and in rare situations, stillbirth. Early birth, high blood pressure, and preeclampsia are among the other dangers.
3. How can it be diagnosed? Gestational diabetes cannot be diagnosed very easily as some may show no signs or symptoms, while others feel severe hunger, thirst or tiredness. An Oral Glucose Tolerance Test is used to determine gestational diabetes (OGTT). A pathology lab is used for this. Before taking this test, you must fast for at least 24 hours. A sample of your blood will be collected to determine your fasting blood glucose level. You will then be given a sugary drink and your blood will be drawn one and two hours later. You have gestational diabetes if your blood glucose level is higher than usual after a fasting, one- or two-hour test.
4. How to manage this? Keep yourself active unless you are advised not to do. It will help you and your baby to stay healthy while also limiting weight gain. Overweight or obese women are more prone to acquire gestational diabetes. Finding the right combination of protein, lipids, and carbs is key to controlling gestational diabetes.
5. Who is in danger? When you're pregnant, any woman can develop gestational diabetes, but you're at a higher risk if you:
   • History of PCOS
   • Family with history of diabetes
   • Hypertension
   • Dyslipidemia
   • Sedentary lifestyle
   • Obesity
   • Stressful lifestyle
   • History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in previous pregnancy
6. What factors contribute to the cause of gestational diabetes? All of the above and the placental hormones which work against insulin.
7. Is there a cure for gestational diabetes? Gestational diabetes can be cured for the majority of women but, half of those who test positive for gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
8. Is it possible to lower my chances of developing gestational diabetes? Maintaining a healthy lifestyle prior to conception can assist to lower the risk of gestational diabetes. This is attempting to be as near to a healthy weight as possible, eating healthy foods, and exercising every day. At 6 weeks after giving birth, all women with gestational diabetes should be tested to see if they have diabetes outside of pregnancy. A woman with gestational diabetes must be conscious of nutrition and exercise for the rest of her life.
9. Do you have diabetes for the rest of your life if you develop gestational diabetes? After the baby is born, most women's diabetes goes away. However, up to one out of every five mothers with gestational diabetes will have high blood glucose levels after their baby is born. As a result, a follow-up oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) should be performed 6–12 weeks after the baby is born to ensure that blood glucose levels have returned to normal.