Diabetes and pregnancy is a topic that is studied by various disciplines of medicine. In the past, present and future, significant interest has been, is being and will continue to be given to diabetes during pregnancy.
Diabetes mellitus is a disease characterized by a gross disturbance of carbohydrate metabolism due to insufficiency of the pancreatic hormone - insulin - in the blood, which can be absolute or relative. Diabetes mellitus is almost always accompanied by an increased level of glucose in the blood - hyperglycemia and the detection of glucose in the urine - glucosuria.
Diabetes during pregnancy is divided into two types. Gestational diabetes mellitus is one of the types of diabetes that occurs or is first diagnosed during pregnancy. The basis of the disease is a violation of carbohydrate metabolism of varying degrees, namely a decrease in glucose tolerance in the body of a pregnant woman. It is also commonly called gestational diabetes.
Pregestational diabetes mellitus is a more serious condition, since it is present before pregnancy and has a negative effect on the mother’s body before conception, which continues throughout pregnancy and after its completion.
Diabetes mellitus during pregnancy requires mandatory diet therapy, since proper nutrition can be the key to successful treatment of this disease. When developing a diet, it is important to remember that the emphasis should be on reducing the calorie content of food, without reducing its nutritional value. It is recommended to follow a number of simple but effective dietary recommendations:
- eat small portions at the same hours;
- exclude from the diet fried, fatty foods rich in easily digestible carbohydrates (cakes, pastries, bananas, figs), as well as instant foods and fast food;
- enrich the diet with porridges from various cereals (rice, buckwheat, pearl barley), salads from vegetables and fruits, whole grain bread and pasta, i.e. foods rich in fiber;
- eat lean meats, poultry, fish, exclude sausages, sausages, smoked sausages, which contain a lot of fat;
- cook food using a small amount of vegetable oil;
- drink enough liquid (at least one and a half liters per day).
Physical exercise is very beneficial for pregnant women, since, in addition to maintaining muscle tone and maintaining a cheerful state of health, it improves the action of insulin and prevents the accumulation of excess weight. Naturally, physical activity for pregnant women should be moderate and consist of walking, gymnastics, and water exercises. You should not overuse active physical activity, such as cycling, skating, or horse riding, as this can lead to injury. It is important to regulate the amount of exercise based on your current state of health.
Diabetes mellitus can cause a large number of pregnancy complications such as spontaneous abortion, premature birth, pyelonephritis, polyhydramnios and hypertension. These complications, together with vascular complications (retinopathy and nephropathy) and high caesarean section rates, may lead to increased morbidity and mortality in patients with diabetes during pregnancy. In addition, hypo- and hyperglycemia, toxemia, secondary infections of the genitourinary system and traumatic childbirth can be common complications of pregnancy.
.
