By Iris Farrou
01 Nov, 2022
Health Conditions and Pregnancy, Lifestyle Tips, New Moms, Nutrition, Pregnancy, Women's Health, Your baby's health
Common pregnancy complications, Gestational diabetes, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, lower diabetes risk
You may be familiar with Diabetes Type 1 and Type 2, but did you know there is also a bonus one, called Gestational Diabetes Mellitus– or Gestational Diabetes for short? Gestational Diabetes is diabetes that’s diagnosed for the first time during the gestation period, aka pregnancy. Contrary to Type 1 diabetes, GDM is not caused by a lack of insulin. Instead, it is caused by hormones produced during pregnancy that make insulin ineffective. This is also known as insulin resistance, whereby the mother’s body does not use insulin as it should. Like other types of diabetes, GDM affects how cells use sugar. About 3-8% of pregnant people in the US are diagnosed with gestational diabetes; its symptoms disappear after delivery, and the great news is that you can help control gestational diabetes!
Symptoms: gestational diabetes does not have any symptoms on its own, except increased thirst and frequent urination (which could be pregnancy related regardless). If you are risk for Type 1 diabetes because one of your parents or siblings has it, or at risk for Type 2 diabetes because you are prediabetic, over 45 y/o, may be overweight, don’t exercise often, or have previously had gestational diabetes, your doctor may deem you are at high risk for GDM and suggest you be tested.
Risks: GDM is not like Type 1 Diabetes which can cause birth defects–in fact, GDM arrives too late in a pregnancy to cause any birth defects. Insulin resistance starts showing up around Week 24. Therefore, and thankfully, the complications are manageable and preventable. Generally, gestational diabetes may cause macrosomia and hypoglycemia, which are the two major health issues associated with it. Macrosomia refers to an excessively large fetus and hypoglycemia refers to low blood sugar in the baby immediately after delivery.
Treatment: there are available treatments for gestational diabetes, and many depend on your age, overall health, and medical history. However, the most common ways to manage GDM are to regularly check your blood sugar so it stays on healthy levels, creating a healthy eating plan with your doctor and following it, being active, and monitoring your baby.
As is the case with any pregnancy complication, it is understandable that it may cause you stress. While there is no certain way to prevent stress, do know that gestational diabetes is very manageable and has very low health risks for your baby. In fact, your own stress may cause more complications during pregnancy than gestational diabetes. You can better gauge your risk for GDM by checking your family history and having a general health assessment with your doctor early on in, or even before, your pregnancy. It is advisable to attend all your prenatal appointments, voice your concerns with your doctor, and maintain a healthy lifestyle to address the possible risks of gestational diabetes.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gestational-diabetes/symptoms-causes/syc-20355339
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/gestational.html
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/diabetes/gestational-diabetes
More
By Iris Farrou
05 Aug, 2022
Health Conditions and Pregnancy, Lifestyle Tips, Pregnancy, Prevention, Reproductive health, Uncategorized
Autoimmune, Common pregnancy complications, Disease Modifying Therapy, DMTs, Healthy Pregnancy with MS, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Pregnancy
What is it?
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system, mainly
the brain and the spinal cord. Like most autoimmune conditions, research remains inconclusive
on what causes it, other than: antibodies attack healthy tissue. In MS, your body attacks the
myelin sheath: the wiring protecting your nerve cells. This damage causes messages from your
brain to the rest of your body to slow down, or completely stop. Most common treatment for MS
is a Disease Modifying Therapy (DMT), tailored to the patient’s needs and the severity of the
condition.
DMTs and Pregnancy
Women who have been diagnosed with MS and are thinking of becoming pregnant have likely
been told that most DMTs are not safe to use during pregnancy. One of the most common
concerns with stopping DMTs is the risk of relapse after pregnancy. In fact, medical
professionals suggest you stop the therapy altogether once you embark on your pregnancy
journey.
Another research, however, has found that 12% of its women participants were taking a
DMT during the first trimester. This lowered to 3% of participants by the third trimester. This is
not to say that use of DMTs during pregnancy is safe, but it does point to the need for further
research.
What should I expect?
It’s common that during pregnancy most autoimmune diseases—including MS—quiet down:
you may not experience as many symptoms, or your symptoms may lessen. Researchers believe
this is due to the hormones your body produces during pregnancy.
There is no evidence MS causes any miscarriages, stillbirths, or congenital malfunctions. Some
research suggests that premature labor and the risk of infections have been found to be slightly
higher in women with MS. Your doctor may suggest closer monitoring of your pregnancy, more
prenatal visits, and further tests to ensure your health. It’s possible you may need to consider a
C-section, especially if your MS symptoms affect your pelvic muscles and nerves.
What about relapse?
Research has found that the risk of relapse is relatively low during pregnancy. However, it can be
treated with corticosteroids which are generally known to be safe during the first and second
trimester.
After giving birth, studies have found an increased chance of relapse in the first three months. A
significant factor is the stability of the disease prior to pregnancy, and it is used to reduce this
risk. Similar to use of corticosteroids, if you are thinking of breastfeeding, remember that DMTs
can also pass through breastmilk—their use is not recommended if you will be breastfeeding.
More
Many women report changes in their memory during pregnancy. Though memory loss is not reported as a usual symptom that comes about with pregnancy, empirical evidence shows that absent-mindedness among pregnant women is more common than in non-pregnant women.
Also known as “baby brain,” it refers to the changes that occur in cognitive and executive functioning, as well as in memory, due to the increased levels of sex hormones. Some explanations of memory loss attribute it to the elevated anxiety pregnant women experience, seeing as they are preoccupied with a major life change and the responsibility of a new life. Other research points to changes in the brain that prepare women for motherhood.
More specific findings suggest pregnant women experience altered spatial perception and memory, as the heightened hormones may negatively affect the neurons in the hippocampus—the part of the brain responsible for spatial memory.
What to expect?
Undoubtedly, the stress that comes with preparing for the arrival of a baby (or more than one!) is bound to contribute to absent-mindedness and some slight disorientation, especially as far as new surroundings or new information are concerned.
Stress before giving birth is to be expected, as is a decline in good mood. Some women even experience signs of depression during pregnancy, as well as shortly after. In addition to stress and a generally sad mood, these might include:
- Declined interest in fun activities
- Changes in sleep pattern, energy and appetite
- Finding it challenging to concentrate and make decisions
- Feelings of worthlessness or shame
- Questioning life’s worth
How to manage it
Though it is yet unclear whether mild depression or increased hormone levels are causing memory loss in pregnant women, it does seem to dissipate shortly after the baby has been born.
It is advised that if these symptoms persist for a long time after birth, or if you have had a history of depression, you consult your health professional.
Despite the increased anxiety that comes with caring for a newborn, expectant mothers should try to ease their mind and keep their focus sharp to the best of their abilities by engaging in activities that help them feel less stressed.
More
During pregnancy women experience a wide range of physical changes and sensations. The signs of preeclampsia, a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period, are too often misinterpreted as the symptoms of a normal pregnancy. Preeclampsia generally occurs late in the second or third trimesters, and up to six weeks postpartum. In rare cases it can occur before the second trimester begins. It is estimated that approximately three to five percent of pregnant women suffer from preeclampsia. Globally, preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths every year. The symptoms can progress rapidly, and in the most severe cases, the results can be fatal. Understanding the signs of this dangerous condition will help keep you and your baby safe.
Symptoms
Preeclampsia can be particularly dangerous because many of the signs are unidentifiable or misunderstood to be normal effects of pregnancy. Speak with your OBGYN if you experience any of the following:
- High blood pressure (Hypertension). High blood pressure is one of the most important indicators of preeclampsia, however it can easily go unrealized since women cannot feel their blood pressure rising. High blood pressure is generally defined by a reading of 140/90 or greater, measured on two separate occasions six hours apart. During pregnancy, a rise in the lower number of 15 degrees or more, or a rise in the upper number of 30 degrees or more, can be a cause for concern. Your OBGYN will help you keep a record of your blood pressure before and during your pregnancy to help identify an unsafe rise.
- Protein in your urine (Proteinuria). Protein in your urine can occur when proteins that are normally confined to your blood spill into your urine. Preeclampsia temporarily damages the filtering of blood by your kidneys, which causes the leakage of proteins into your urine. To identify this symptom, your OBGYN will test your urine at each prenatal check-up. In between visits if your urine appears to look dark, reddish, or the color of cola, contact your OBGYN immediately.
- Changes in vision. Vision changes are one of the most serious symptoms of preeclampsia. It may be an indication of irritation of the central nervous system or swelling of the brain (cerebral edema). If you experience sensations of flashing lights, auras, light sensitivity, or blurry vision or spots, contact your OBGYN or go directly to the hospital.
- Swelling (Edema). Some swelling is normal and common for pregnant women, however edema is the accumulation of excess fluid that occurs in the face, hands, or around the eyes. Contact your OBGYN if you notice excessive puffiness in your face, hands, or feet. Also, watch for signs of “pitting edema.” When you press your thumb into your skin, if an indentation remains for a few seconds, or you notice discoloration of your legs, you may be experiencing pitting edema and should contact your OBGYN right away.
- Headaches. Severe or dull throbbing headaches that won’t go away could be a sign of preeclampsia. If over-the-counter medicine does not relieve your symptoms, you have light sensitivity, you experiences changes in your vision, or the pain becomes severe, contact your OBGYN.
- Nausea or vomiting. Many women experience morning sickness, however nausea or vomiting that is sudden, and that occurs after mid-pregnancy could be a sign of preeclampsia.
- Abdominal (epigastric) pain and or shoulder pain. Both abdominal pain and shoulder pain, often called “referred pain” because it radiates from the liver under the right ribs, can be confused with heartburn, gallbladder issues, the flu, indigestion or the baby kicking. If the pain is associated with preeclampsia it will be more severe than the pain experienced with muscle strain. Shoulder pain may feel like you are being deeply pinched along the bra strap, on your neck, or your right side. Such pain could be related to an issue with your liver, so contact your OBGYN immediately if your pain seems abnormal or severe.
- Lower back pain. Again not to be confused with general muscle fatigue, lower back pain that is severe may be an indication of an issue with the liver, especially when accompanied by other signs of preeclampsia.
- Sudden weight gain. Many women are hyper-aware of changes in their weight during pregnancy, especially as they watch their baby bump grow and expand with each month. Rapid weight gain, however, could be a cause for concern. Weight gain of more than two pounds in a week could be an indicator of preeclampsia. The rapid increase could be caused by damaged blood vessels allowing more water to leak into body tissues instead of passing through to the kidneys.
- Hyperreflexia. Hyperreflexia is characterized by reflexes that are so strong that when your knee is tapped by a rubber hammer, your leg bounces back hard. It is typically caused by an overreaction of the involuntary nervous system to stimulation. Your OBGYN will test you for hyperreflexia; otherwise it may be difficult to identify on your own.
- Shortness of breath and anxiety. Having moments of nervousness during pregnancy is common, however women should pay attention to more severe signs of anxiety, such as shortness of breath, a racing pulse, mental confusion, and a heightened sense of anxiety. Contact your OBGYN if these symptoms come on immediately or severely.
Preeclampsia Treatment and Prevention
Proper prenatal care is essential to manage the risk of preeclampsia. Attend all scheduled OBGYN visits to make sure you are getting regular weight checks, blood pressure readings, and urine tests. Maintain a healthy diet full of vitamins, and natural, rather than processed, foods. Most importantly, pay attention to your body. While every feeling you experience may seem sudden and strange, trust your instincts. Any rapid or severe changes or symptoms should be taken seriously.
Never hesitate to contact your OBGYN with questions or concerns. And if you are looking for at top OBGYN group in Western New York, please give our practice of Chouchani, Sayegh and Bagnarello a call today.
More
