Pregnancy with Type 2 Diabetes: Totally Doable!

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What is Type 2 diabetes?


Why is it important to plan your pregnancy?

Getting pregnant with Type 2 diabetes is possible but it is always advisable to plan the pregnancy. Pre-natal care is especially important as this is the time when the baby develop its organs. Therefore, it is better to keep the sugar levels in blood under control three to six months prior to conceiving. Below are some of the key points which can be followed for a healthy pregnancy.

Steps to Pre-natal Care

  • There is a need to visit the gynecologist before conceiving so as to know your existing blood glucose level and maintain it to the correct range.
  • To keep blood glucose level under control, following an exercising regime is of utmost relevance
  • The perfect range of blood sugar level is 60-119 milli gram in a day before meal and 100-149 milli gram one hour after meal.
  • Maintaining a healthy weight is also a prerequisite that your healthcare provider will advise you about. This is because anobese woman is at a greater risk of miscarriage.

Lifestyle Changes

For women wanting to get pregnant, following a healthy lifestyle is necessary. To pave the way for a healthy offspring, the mother should make alternations to her life style. Some of the things which need immediate attention include-;

Quit smoking and drinking

Smoking and drinking habits are a complete no. If pregnant mother resort to hard drinks and smoke, this will have adverse effects on the baby. Moreover, combined with type-2 diabetes it increases the risk of transferring diseases through the placenta to the baby.

Correct Body Mass Index

The measure of body mass index is an amazing tool to determine your fitness levels. For pregnant women, having a correct body to mass index is essential. If the body mass index is above 27, the healthcare professionals always advise to reduce the weight through ways which make you stay active even without gym and attain the correct ratio of body and mass. On the other hand, if you are under-weight there is increased risk of infertility. BMI below 18 in women shows that they are underweight. To this end, following a healthy diet plan and avoiding over exertion of the body is recommended.

Switching Medications

If the expecting mother is on oral medications for treating Type 2 diabetes, it is highly recommended to consult the doctor and switch to insulin intake if required. In most cases, it has happened that pregnant women fail to control sugar levels and switch to insulin without consulting which might lead to other complications. Consulting doctor before taking medication is highly recommended.

Besides, any other medications or supplements are being followed these medications should also be discussed with the physician. For instance, if you have the medication for thyroid then the doctor needs to be aware of this to make sure they are safe to continue while being pregnant.

Diabetic friendly food

Apart from the above key pointers, eating diabetes friendly food and snacks which are low in carbohydrates is another way to manage blood sugar levels. Food rich in carbohydrate like potatoes when dissolved in the body converts into sugar, thus spiking the blood sugar levels. Therefore, consuming food such as oatmeals, legumes will help women maintain a stable glucose level in the body keeping the baby away from any risk.