Gestational Diabetes and Its Side Effects

Gestational diabetes is a specific form of diabetes which can develop during pregnancy.

It can cause the blood sugar levels to shoot up extremely high, which puts both the mother and the baby in danger. Whilst gestational diabetes usually clears up after the baby has been delivered, but it might cause some severe side effects which can cause problems during- and after the delivery.

Some of the side effects to watch out for include:

• Macrosomia 

Gestational diabetes can lead to high amounts of sugar in the baby’s bloodstream, which causes the baby’s pancreas to secrete excess amounts of insulin. This can lead to the baby gaining weight, often becoming too big for the mother to give birth naturally. In other cases it might lead to risks and complications during delivery, which can affect both the mother and the baby.

• Pre-Eclampsia 

According to studies, women who suffer from gestational diabetes are almost twice as likely to develop pre-eclampsia, which is a condition where the mother develops high blood pressure, and also has high traces of protein in her urine. This can cause blood flow to the vital organs to be restricted, which poses a massive threat to the mother and the baby. The only cure for this is actually giving birth to the baby.

• Post-Delivery Side Effects 

-Hypoglycemia in the baby:

The baby may suffer from low blood sugar levels because the pancreas is still producing high amounts of insulin. Luckily this can usually be rectified by feeding the baby.

-Polycythemia in the baby:

This is when there is an increase in the number of red blood cells.

-Hypocalcemia in the baby:

This is when the baby’s calcium levels are very low.

-Jaundice:

This is a liver condition that causes a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes.

-Breathing problems in the baby:

Babies born from mothers with gestational diabetes are much more likely to suffer from breathing problems.

-Increased risk of stillbirths:

Studies suggest that women who suffer from gestational diabetes are more likely to experience stillbirths in the last 2 months when compared to women who do not suffer from gestational diabetes.

Prevent Gestational Diabetes the Natural Way

A healthy Low GI diet is recommended, eliminating all refined carbohydrates and eating clean foods without added sugar. We also strongly recommend taking the Manna Blood Sugar Support Supplement, because this supplement can help to control blood sugar and prevent gestational diabetes without any side effect to the mother or the baby. (see the Manna Diet in the free eBook)