Diabetes is a disease in which the body fails to produce or effectively use insulin. Insulin is a hormone produced by groups of special cells in the pancreas called Islets of Langerhans. It is used to convert glucose (sugar), starches and other foods into energy.
There are two main forms of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body fails to produce insulinA hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas in response to increase blood sugar levels. Insulin regulates the metabolism of glucose, and helps transfer the blood sugar into the muscle cells and other body tissues.
Insufficient insulin secretion results in hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, ketonemia and azoturia. It is the cause of diabetes mellitus, eventually resulting in lethargy and weight loss.
A synthetic version of the hormone, also known as insulin is used in treating diabetes, with the different brands varying in promptness, intensity and duration of action. Pharmacological insulin is delivered through subcutaneous injection.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., a condition which affects five to ten percent (1 - 2 in 20) diabetics. Type 2 diabetes results when the body produces insulinA hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas in response to increase blood sugar levels. Insulin regulates the metabolism of glucose, and helps transfer the blood sugar into the muscle cells and other body tissues.
Insufficient insulin secretion results in hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, ketonemia and azoturia. It is the cause of diabetes mellitus, eventually resulting in lethargy and weight loss.
A synthetic version of the hormone, also known as insulin is used in treating diabetes, with the different brands varying in promptness, intensity and duration of action. Pharmacological insulin is delivered through subcutaneous injection.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. but is unable to use it effectively. Most diabetics have Type 2 diabetes.
A third type of diabetes, called gestational diabetes, occurs only during pregnancy. By about week twenty, hormonesA complex chemical substance created in a part or organ of the body. When released it initiates or regulates activity in an organ or group of cells in another part of the body.
Hormones secreted by endocrine glands are transported through the bloodstream to their target organ. The amount of hormone secreted is regulated either by other hormones, by neurotransmitters, or simply when an excess of the organ's activity indicates a need to reduce the amount of the hormone produced.
Other hormones are produced locally by the organs themselves and are common in the digestive tract.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. produced by the placentaThe placenta is a large disk shaped membrane responsible for providing nourishment to the fetus during pregnancy. It consists of three parts, the fetal part made up from the chorion membrane surrounding the fetus, the maternal part, formed from the decidua basalis layer of the uterine lining, and the intervillous space between the two plates. It is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord and consists of tissue from both the mother and the embryo.
Its function is complex. It has been described as a simple organ that combines the functions of a kidney-dialysis machine, heart and lung machine and intravenous drip. It consists of enormous numbers of blood vessel branches that permit the exchange of nutrition and oxygen, from the mother's bloodstream to the fetus and the removal of wastes to the mother to be excreted. The placenta's remarkable quality is that it does so without the blood of the mother mixing with that of the baby.
It also is responsible for the production of vital hormones including, estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin. After birth, the placenta is delivered, and is sometimes referred to as the afterbirth.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. block the action of insulinA hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas in response to increase blood sugar levels. Insulin regulates the metabolism of glucose, and helps transfer the blood sugar into the muscle cells and other body tissues.
Insufficient insulin secretion results in hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, ketonemia and azoturia. It is the cause of diabetes mellitus, eventually resulting in lethargy and weight loss.
A synthetic version of the hormone, also known as insulin is used in treating diabetes, with the different brands varying in promptness, intensity and duration of action. Pharmacological insulin is delivered through subcutaneous injection.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions.. The need for insulin increases until about week thirty six, then stabilizes. This condition is considered part of a high risk pregnancy, and all signs of diabetes disappear after the birth of the baby.
About one third of diabetics are unaware that they have diabetes until they are tested for it. You may be tested for diabetes at the beginning of your pregnancy, or during trimester two. There are two tests that can be used to screen for diabetes: the fasting plasma glucose test or FPG, and the Oral Glucose Tolerance Test, or OGTT.
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Both tests measure glucose levels after a period of fasting. The glucose tolerance test again measures blood sugar levels two hours later, after the patient has consumed a sugar rich drink, similar to a cola. The results enable doctors to see how the body copes with and coverts sugar in the bloodstream.
The cause of diabetes is still unknown, but it is thought that certain genetic factors increase the incidence of the disease as do environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise. Women are about fifty percent more likely to develop diabetes than men, with about one third of diabetics unaware that they have the disease.
Pregnancy with diabetes can be just as safe as for any woman. The trouble is that pregnancy changes the body's insulinA hormone secreted by the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas in response to increase blood sugar levels. Insulin regulates the metabolism of glucose, and helps transfer the blood sugar into the muscle cells and other body tissues.
Insufficient insulin secretion results in hyperglycemia, hyperlipemia, ketonemia and azoturia. It is the cause of diabetes mellitus, eventually resulting in lethargy and weight loss.
A synthetic version of the hormone, also known as insulin is used in treating diabetes, with the different brands varying in promptness, intensity and duration of action. Pharmacological insulin is delivered through subcutaneous injection.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. requirements, meaning that you have to be very skilled at monitoring your blood glucose levels to avoid the risk of any congenital abnormalitiesAny abnormality which is present at birth. Also called birth defects, they can arise from genetic inheritance or acquired during gestation through disease or drugs.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions..
Fortunately doctors are very experienced in providing prenatal care to diabetics, and you will receive additional screening tests during your pregnancy to ensure that it is progressing normally. Unfortunately one of the first of these tests is the alphafetoprotein test, which is more likely to yield an inaccurate result when used on a diabetic mother. But your doctor will anticipate this, and confirm the results with additional testing and regular ultrasounds to make sure the baby is growing normally.
Only ten percent (1 in 10) diabetics have insulin dependent Type 1 diabetes. But because they have had the disease for so long, type 1 diabetics are very capable at measuring their blood glucose levels, and correctly adjusting the dose of insulin required.
Before you conceive, most doctors will recommend that you have your eyes and kidneys thoroughly checked. If there is no sign of new vessel growth in your eyes, and at least half of your kidney is functioning then you should have no problems during pregnancy. Your blood pressure will also be carefully monitored: high blood pressure in combination with diabetes during pregnancy can cause many different problems.
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During pregnancy hormonesA complex chemical substance created in a part or organ of the body. When released it initiates or regulates activity in an organ or group of cells in another part of the body.
Hormones secreted by endocrine glands are transported through the bloodstream to their target organ. The amount of hormone secreted is regulated either by other hormones, by neurotransmitters, or simply when an excess of the organ's activity indicates a need to reduce the amount of the hormone produced.
Other hormones are produced locally by the organs themselves and are common in the digestive tract.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. produced by the placentaThe placenta is a large disk shaped membrane responsible for providing nourishment to the fetus during pregnancy. It consists of three parts, the fetal part made up from the chorion membrane surrounding the fetus, the maternal part, formed from the decidua basalis layer of the uterine lining, and the intervillous space between the two plates. It is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord and consists of tissue from both the mother and the embryo.
Its function is complex. It has been described as a simple organ that combines the functions of a kidney-dialysis machine, heart and lung machine and intravenous drip. It consists of enormous numbers of blood vessel branches that permit the exchange of nutrition and oxygen, from the mother's bloodstream to the fetus and the removal of wastes to the mother to be excreted. The placenta's remarkable quality is that it does so without the blood of the mother mixing with that of the baby.
It also is responsible for the production of vital hormones including, estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin. After birth, the placenta is delivered, and is sometimes referred to as the afterbirth.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. block the action of insulin. Between week twenty and week thirty six your insulin requirements will dramatically increase. Fortunately you will have started with stable blood glucose levels, but you will have to be very adept to adjust for the changes taking place in your body during this time.
If blood glucose levels are high during pregnancy, the body can create toxic substances called ketones, that cross the placentaThe placenta is a large disk shaped membrane responsible for providing nourishment to the fetus during pregnancy. It consists of three parts, the fetal part made up from the chorion membrane surrounding the fetus, the maternal part, formed from the decidua basalis layer of the uterine lining, and the intervillous space between the two plates. It is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord and consists of tissue from both the mother and the embryo.
Its function is complex. It has been described as a simple organ that combines the functions of a kidney-dialysis machine, heart and lung machine and intravenous drip. It consists of enormous numbers of blood vessel branches that permit the exchange of nutrition and oxygen, from the mother's bloodstream to the fetus and the removal of wastes to the mother to be excreted. The placenta's remarkable quality is that it does so without the blood of the mother mixing with that of the baby.
It also is responsible for the production of vital hormones including, estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin. After birth, the placenta is delivered, and is sometimes referred to as the afterbirth.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. and can interfere with the formation of your baby's organs. This can result in problems such as heart defects and spina bifidaA relatively common birth defect in which the spine fails to form properly leaving the spinal cord exposed. Spina bifida can result in mental disability and partial paralysis. Also called spinal dysraphia.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions..
The majority of diabetics have Type 2 diabetes. This means that your body is not using insulin effectively. You are probably taking oral hypoglycemic agents, or OHAs, to help the body convert sugars and starches to energy and reduce blood glucose levels. These agents cannot be used during pregnancy and your doctor will recommend that you use insulin prior to conception.
Unfortunately you will be learning how to cope with Type 1 diabetes, and working hard to maintain stable blood glucose levels just as the body changes its insulin requirements. Ask your doctor or contact the American Diabetes Association to find and instructor or type 1 diabetic who can help you learn the intricacies of blood glucose level management.
Fortunately high blood glucose levels in Type 2 diabetes do not result in the formation of ketones, so after the formation of the organs during trimester one there is no more risk. But there are other problems all diabetics have to be aware of. High levels of sugar in your blood stream can cross the placentaThe placenta is a large disk shaped membrane responsible for providing nourishment to the fetus during pregnancy. It consists of three parts, the fetal part made up from the chorion membrane surrounding the fetus, the maternal part, formed from the decidua basalis layer of the uterine lining, and the intervillous space between the two plates. It is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord and consists of tissue from both the mother and the embryo.
Its function is complex. It has been described as a simple organ that combines the functions of a kidney-dialysis machine, heart and lung machine and intravenous drip. It consists of enormous numbers of blood vessel branches that permit the exchange of nutrition and oxygen, from the mother's bloodstream to the fetus and the removal of wastes to the mother to be excreted. The placenta's remarkable quality is that it does so without the blood of the mother mixing with that of the baby.
It also is responsible for the production of vital hormones including, estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin. After birth, the placenta is delivered, and is sometimes referred to as the afterbirth.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., causing your baby's pancreas to compensate by producing high levels of insulin. While the supply of sugar ends at delivery, your baby's pancreas can take hours or days to adjust, a period during which it will need careful monitoring.
There should be no risks to your baby if your blood sugar levels and blood pressure are properly managed. High blood glucose levels cross the placentaThe placenta is a large disk shaped membrane responsible for providing nourishment to the fetus during pregnancy. It consists of three parts, the fetal part made up from the chorion membrane surrounding the fetus, the maternal part, formed from the decidua basalis layer of the uterine lining, and the intervillous space between the two plates. It is connected to the fetus by the umbilical cord and consists of tissue from both the mother and the embryo.
Its function is complex. It has been described as a simple organ that combines the functions of a kidney-dialysis machine, heart and lung machine and intravenous drip. It consists of enormous numbers of blood vessel branches that permit the exchange of nutrition and oxygen, from the mother's bloodstream to the fetus and the removal of wastes to the mother to be excreted. The placenta's remarkable quality is that it does so without the blood of the mother mixing with that of the baby.
It also is responsible for the production of vital hormones including, estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin. After birth, the placenta is delivered, and is sometimes referred to as the afterbirth.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., causing it to make too much fat. Often the babies of diabetics are very big for their gestational age, a condition called macrosomia. Macrosomia is defined as a birth weight greater than 8.25lbs (4000 grams), and can result in a baby with a malfunctioning metabolism in utero. If this becomes severe there is a risk of stillbirth, but the problem is easily solved by regaining control of your own blood glucose levels.
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Babies who grow too large in the uterus are at risk of developing breathing problems, and later in life there is an increased risk of obesity, one of the leading causes of Type 2 diabetes. But depending on the type of diabetes you have, and when you got the disease, the chances of your baby becoming diabetic also increase.
If you are a Type 1 diabetic under the age of twenty five, your baby has a four percent (1 in 25) chance of developing the disease. If you are over twenty five, the risk drops dramatically to one percent (1 in 100), but the incidence doubles if you developed the disease before the age of eleven.
If the father has Type 1 diabetes the risk is nearly six percent (1 in 17), but this rises to twenty five percent (1 in 4) if both parents are diabetic, although some experts conservatively estimate that this is ten percent (1 in 10).
About fourteen percent (1 in 7) Type 1 diabetics suffer from a variation called Type 2 polyglandular autoimmune syndrome, in which an immune system problem such as thyroid disease or a dysfunctional adrenal gland complicate the disease. If you have this condition your baby has a fifty percent (1 in 2) chance of contracting the disease.
Type 2 diabetes is usually the result of lifestyle choices, so you can play a big role in reducing your child's risk of contracting the disease by promoting a healthy lifestyle early on. Avoiding unhealthy foods, controlling weight and promoting an active lifestyle can all reduce the risk of contracting Type 2 diabetes.
If you contracted Type 2 diabetes before you turned fifty, the chance of your baby becoming a Type 2 diabetic is about fourteen percent (1 in 7), but this drops to less than eight percent (1 in 13) if you became diabetic after age fifty. If both you and the baby's father have Type 2 diabetes your baby has a fifty percent (1 in 2) chance of becoming diabetic.
Macrosomic babies have a high risk of a complication called shoulder dystocia, in which the baby's shoulders are too large to pass through the birth canalThe passage through which the baby passes during delivery from the inlet of the true pelvis to the vaginal orifice.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions.. Babies of diabetic mothers easily reach twelve to fifteen pounds (5.4kg - 6.8kg) at birth, and in most cases your doctor will recommend a cesarean section.
Babies born of diabetic mothers commonly develop jaundiceThe yellow staining of the skin, mucus membranes and sclerae of the eyes, caused by excessive quantities of bilirubin in the blood.
Jaundice may cause nausea, vomitting and abdominal pain, as well as unusually dark urine.
Jaundice is a symptom of many disorders including liver disease, biliary obstruction and hemolytic anemias. Newborn babies often develop physiological jaundice which disappears after a few days.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions., resulting from a buildup of red blood cellsA concave disk containing hemoglobin surrounded by a lipoid membrane. It is the major cellular element of the circulating blood and it serves primarily to transport oxygen. The number of red blood cells is about 4 and 4.5 million per cubic millimeter in women (4.5 and 5 million per cubic millimeter in men).
The average lifespan of a red blood cell is between 110 and 115 days after which it is removed from the bloodstream. New red blood cells are produced at about the rate of 1% daily to keep levels constant. Red blood cells originate in the marrow of long bones. Also called erythrocytes.
Visit our comprehensive glossary for more pregnancy terms and definitions. that are not being broken down fast enough but this is easily solved; breastfeeding is an excellent way to cure newborn jaundice.
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There is no reason why a diabetic mother cannot breastfeed her baby. In fact research suggests that mothers who breastfeed their babies longer than the three to six month average have less chance of developing Type 1 diabetes.
The goal of every diabetic woman during pregnancy is to stay in control of her blood glucose levels. If this is achieved no other problems should occur. But proper control of blood glucose levels during pregnancy requires plenty of planning and you should talk to your doctor about developing a program of meals, exercise and insulin requirements.
Your doctor will probably recommend that you consult a team of specialists during your pregnancy. At the top of this list will be an endocrinologist or internist specializing in diabetes and diabetic pregnancies. An obstetrician with specialist experience in diabetic pregnancy can also prove valuable, although you may choose to consult a perinatologist. Because of the special attention your newborn might require on delivery, you probably will want to visit a neonatologist or a pediatrician specially trained in the care of babies of diabetic mothers.
Additional support during your pregnancy can be provided by a midwife or doula, who can be available to give you information and emotional support when you need it. A diabetes educator can be extremely valuable in answering questions about diabetes during your pregnancy, as well as a nutritionist or registered dietician who can help you learn to manage your insulin levels.
Your doctor will probably want to perform regular ultrasound scans, perhaps as frequently as every two weeks, sometime after week twenty to monitor the growth of your baby. Some doctors choose to induce delivery early if it is growing too quickly, but premature babies need extra care after delivery.
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