Gestational diabetes occurs when a woman who did not have diabetes before pregnancy develops the condition during pregnancy. To get glucose out of the blood and into the body's cells, the pancreas produces a hormone called insulin. In gestational diabetes, hormonal changes caused by pregnancy cause the body to not produce enough insulin or to not use it normally. Instead, glucose builds up in the blood and causes diabetes, also known as high blood sugar levels. Managing gestational diabetes, following a treatment plan described by a healthcare provider, is the best way to reduce or prevent problems associated with high blood sugar levels during pregnancy.
If left unchecked, it can cause high blood pressure because of preeclampsia and having a large baby, increasing the risk of a C-section. 4 Early prenatal tests for STIs and other infections can determine if the infection can be cured with drug treatment. Or, if you know you have an infection, contact your pregnant healthcare provider as soon as possible during your pregnancy. Early treatment reduces the risk to the fetus and baby.
2 Even if the infection can't be cured, you and your healthcare provider can take steps to protect your health and that of your baby. Learn more about infections that can affect pregnancy. Preterm labor is labor that begins before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Any baby born before 37 weeks is at greater risk of having health problems, in most cases because organs such as the lungs and brain finish developing in the last few weeks before a full-term delivery (39 to 40 weeks). Certain conditions increase the risk of preterm birth, such as infections, shortening of the cervix, or previous preterm births.
6 Pregnancy complications include physical and mental conditions that affect the health of a pregnant or postpartum woman, her baby, or both. It's important to get medical care before, during, and after pregnancy to reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. Physical and mental conditions that can cause complications can begin before, during, or after pregnancy. Living a healthy lifestyle and receiving medical care before, during and after pregnancy can reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy. After pregnancy, see your healthcare provider for postpartum care.
Comment on anything that doesn't seem right to you. This includes physical symptoms and also sadness, anxiety and exhaustion, which make it difficult to care for yourself and others. You may need to see different healthcare providers to be as healthy as possible after pregnancy. Everyone feels sad from time to time, but these feelings usually go away within a few days. Depression interferes with daily life and can last for weeks or months at a time.
Some women have depression before, during, or after pregnancy. Depression during pregnancy can make it difficult for you to take care of yourself and your pregnancy. Having depression before or during pregnancy is also a risk factor for postpartum depression, which is depression that occurs after pregnancy. Talk to your healthcare provider as soon as possible if you think you have depression.
If you intend to harm yourself or your baby, seek immediate medical attention. To control diabetes, see your doctor as recommended and monitor your blood sugar levels. In addition, follow a good nutrition plan developed with your medical professional or nutritionist, do physical activity and take medications as directed. Managing your diabetes can help you have a healthy pregnancy.
If you have diabetes before pregnancy or develop it during pregnancy, see your healthcare provider after pregnancy. This can help control your blood sugar level and your overall health. Heart disease affects the heart and blood vessels. Choosing healthy foods, limiting alcohol, quitting smoking, and managing other chronic conditions can lower your risk of many heart conditions. Not everyone has symptoms, but you may have pain in your neck, jaw, chest, abdomen, or back if you have a heart condition.
Many women with heart disease have healthy, uneventful pregnancies. However, having a heart condition can increase the risk of serious illness and death during and after pregnancy. It's important to check with your doctor, ideally before pregnancy or early in pregnancy. During your first prenatal care visit, tell your healthcare provider if you have a heart condition.
If you're diagnosed with a heart condition during pregnancy, you may be monitored more often during and after pregnancy. Some heart conditions, pre-eclampsia, or gestational diabetes may increase the risk of other heart conditions later in life of pregnancy. Work with your healthcare provider to control your risk or control your heart condition before, during and after pregnancy. Starting a pregnancy at a healthy weight can help lower the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, stillbirth, and C-section delivery.
Talk to your healthcare provider about ways to achieve and maintain a healthy weight before you become pregnant. Gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy is also important for your health during and after pregnancy. Learn about recommendations and steps for gaining weight during pregnancy that will help you achieve your goal of weight gain during pregnancy. Pregnancy Complications Learn more about pregnancy complications at Womenshealth, gov. When the blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs is abnormally high, the patient may have severe or moderate pulmonary hypertension.
Symptoms include difficulty breathing even with minor movements, fatigue and dizziness. These infections can come from unsterilized utensils and from unpasteurized foods and drinks. One of the most effective ways to prevent infections is to maintain cleanliness at all times. Preeclampsia and eclampsia are unique to pregnant people, so doctors monitor a patient's blood pressure regularly and watch for signs.
If any of the symptoms become difficult to control, talk to your doctor about what you should do. In particular, if morning sickness, aches and pains, dizziness, or breathing difficulties hinder your normal day, ask for advice.
