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What Is Gestational Diabetes?
When you are pregnant, your body creates more hormones to help your baby grow. Some of these hormones may disrupt the function of insulin. Insulin is your body's energy hormone that helps your body use sugar for energy.When these pregnancy hormones block insulin, your blood sugar levels rise - as a result, you develop gestational diabetes.
This condition typically onsets in the second or third trimester, and it affects many females, even those who did not have diabetes before becoming pregnant.
Why Gestational Diabetes Resolves After Delivery
The reason why gestational diabetes usually disappears after childbirth lies in the hormonal changes that take place once your baby is born. Here's how it works:1. The Role of Placental Hormones
During pregnancy, your placenta produces several hormones, including human placental lactogen (hPL), oestrogen, and progesterone. These hormones are vital in promoting your baby's development, but also decrease how effective insulin is in your body. This is why your blood sugar levels rise during pregnancy, even if you're eating right and staying active.After delivery, the placenta is separated from your body. This means the levels of these hormones are reduced rapidly, and the insulin resistance that they cause disappears. Without this hormonal interference, however, your body can once again deal with sugar in its normal way.
2. Reduced Stress on the Body
Pregnancy places extra strain on the body, making it work harder than usual to support both mother and baby. It changes your metabolism, your blood flow increases, and your body organs become more active to support you and your baby. This stress may make it harder for them to keep a check on their blood sugar levels.When delivery occurs, your body no longer bears this additional burden, and this makes it easier to normalise the sugar level now.
3. Insulin Sensitivity Improves
As soon as pregnancy hormones are present in your system, insulin sensitivity in your body returns. This only happens because your own insulin is more effective, and your blood sugar constantly stays at the desired level without the need to exert extra effort.When Does Blood Sugar Return to Normal?
For the majority of women, the blood sugar levels begin to return to normal within a couple of hours to days after the birth of the baby. Your doctor may test your glucose levels before you go home from the hospital to make sure it's the case.In rare cases, it can take a few weeks for your body to become stable, particularly if you had high blood sugar levels during your pregnancy or if you have other health issues.
Does Gestational Diabetes Always Go Away?
In the majority of cases, yes, gestational diabetes resolves once the placenta is delivered. However, for some women, it may unmask an existing risk of type 2 diabetes.If your blood sugar remains high after delivery, your doctor will check for type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. This doesn't mean gestational diabetes didn't go away; it means your body may already have been at risk even before pregnancy.
What You Should Do After Delivery
Although gestational diabetes usually disappears, it's important to take care of yourself after childbirth. That's because if you had gestational diabetes, you are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes in the future.Here are some steps you can take:
1. Get a Postpartum Glucose Test
Your doctor will typically advise a glucose tolerance test 6 to 12 weeks after delivery. This test is used to check if your blood sugar level has returned to normal.Even if your test results are normal, you should continue to have your blood sugar checked every 1 to 3 years, as your risk remains higher compared to the general population.
2. Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
- Eat balanced meals which include whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.
- Stay physically active, even if it's simply a brisk walk each day.
- Breastfeed if possible, as it can help to reduce your risk of getting type 2 diabetes, and it will also help your baby.
3. Watch for Warning Signs
Symptoms like excessive fatigue, unusual thirst or unexplained weight loss should be observed. These can be an indicator of a blood sugar malfunction in time. They should not be overlooked, and the sooner you are tested, the better.Gestational diabetes may sound frightening to most people during pregnancy, yet the good thing is that it tends to fade once your baby is delivered. Once the placenta is removed and your pregnancy hormone levels drop, your body is typically able to process once more.
Nevertheless, it is a valuable lesson to remember: invest in your future well-being. A healthy lifestyle, proper diet, and frequent visits to the doctor will help you decrease the likelihood of becoming a diabetes patient in later life and safeguard your health, as well as that of your family members.
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FAQs on Why Gestational Diabetes Often Resolves After Delivery
- How long after delivery will my blood sugar return to normal?
Generally, blood sugar levels return to their normal level within a few hours to a few days after birth. To be certain, your physician might order a test 6-12 weeks after the baby is born. - If gestational diabetes goes away, why do I still need follow-up tests?
Gestational diabetes does not imply that you are no longer at increased risk of type 2 diabetes later on, even when levels get back to normal. Frequent tests are beneficial for detecting any changes. - Can I prevent diabetes later if I had gestational diabetes?
Yes. You can help prevent type 2 diabetes in later years by adopting a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, exercising, and undergoing regular check-up procedures.