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let's start with some background gestational diabetes
is a temporary type of diabetes and is one of the most common health problems
for pregnant women
glucose intolerance is an early stage of the condition
gestational diabetes is not your fault its caused by the way
the hormones in pregnancy affect you it occurs in about five to seven percent of
all pregnancies
so you're not alone. during pregnancy
an organ called the placenta develops in the uterus
the placenta connects the mother and baby and makes sure the baby has enough
food and water
the placenta also make several hormones
some of these hormones make it hard for insulin to do its job controlling blood
sugar
also known as blood glucose insulin opens your cell so that glucose can get in.
During your pregnancy your body has to make about three times its normal
amounts of insulin
gestational diabetes develops when the organ that makes insulin
the pancreas can't make enough insulin for pregnancy
Without enough insulin, your blood sugar can't leave the blood and be changed to
energy
this causes extra sugar to build up in the blood
most women with gestational diabetes will have a healthy baby
if you keep your blood sugars in a safe range the chances of you and
you baby having problems are the same as if you didn't have gestational diabetes
but if left untreated gestational diabetes can cause health problems for
you and your baby
that's why it's so important to work with your health care providers
to keep your blood sugar within a safe range one important way to do this is by
following a healthy meal plan