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Gestational diabetes is diabetes diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy
(gestation). Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells
use sugar (glucose). Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that can affect your
pregnancy and your baby's health.
In women with gestational diabetes, blood sugar usually returns to normal soon after
delivery. But if you've had gestational diabetes, you have a higher risk of getting type
2 diabetes. You'll need to be tested for changes in blood sugar more often.
Risk factors
Some women have a greater risk of gestational diabetes. Risk factors for gestational
diabetes include the following:
Gestational diabetes that's not carefully managed can lead to high blood sugar levels.
High blood sugar can cause problems for you and your baby, including an increased
likelihood of needing a C-section to deliver.
If you have gestational diabetes, your baby may be at increased risk of:
Excessive birth weight. Higher than normal blood sugar in mothers can cause
their babies to grow too large. Very large babies — those who weigh 9 pounds
or more — are more likely to become wedged in the birth canal, have birth
injuries or need a C-section birth.
Early (preterm) birth. High blood sugar may increase women's risk of early
labor and delivery before the due date. Or early delivery may be recommended
because the baby is large.
Serious breathing difficulties. Babies born early to mothers with gestational
diabetes may experience respiratory distress syndrome — a condition that
makes breathing difficult.
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Sometimes babies of mothers with
gestational diabetes have low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) shortly after birth.
Severe episodes of hypoglycemia may cause seizures in the baby. Prompt
feedings and sometimes an intravenous glucose solution can return the baby's
blood sugar level to normal.
Obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life. Babies of mothers who have
gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes
later in life.
Stillbirth. Untreated gestational diabetes can result in a baby's death either
before or shortly after birth.
Prevention
There are no guarantees when it comes to preventing gestational diabetes —
but the more healthy habits you can adopt before pregnancy, the better. If you've
had gestational diabetes, these healthy choices may also reduce your risk of
having it again in future pregnancies or developing type 2 diabetes in the future.
Eat healthy foods. Choose foods high in fiber and low in fat and calories.
Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you
achieve your goals without compromising taste or nutrition. Watch portion
sizes.
Keep active. Exercising before and during pregnancy can help protect you
from developing gestational diabetes. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity
on most days of the week. Take a brisk daily walk. Ride your bike. Swim laps.
Short bursts of activity — such as parking further away from the store when you
run errands or taking a short walk break — all add up too.
Start pregnancy at a healthy weight. If you're planning to get pregnant, losing
extra weight beforehand may help you have a healthier pregnancy. Focus on
making lasting changes to your eating habits that can help you through
pregnancy, such as eating more vegetables and fruits.
Don't gain more weight than recommended. Gaining some weight during
pregnancy is normal and healthy. But gaining too much weight too quickly can
up your risk of gestational diabetes. Ask your doctor what a reasonable amount
of weight gain is for you.
PREECLAMPSIA
If you're diagnosed with preeclampsia too early in your pregnancy to deliver your
baby, you and your doctor face a challenging task. Your baby needs more time to
mature, but you need to avoid putting yourself or your baby at risk of serious
complications.
Risk factors
Chronic hypertension. If you already have chronic hypertension, you have a higher
risk of developing preeclampsia.
New paternity. Each pregnancy with a new partner increases the risk of preeclampsia
more than does a second or third pregnancy with the same partner.
Age. The risk of preeclampsia is higher for very young pregnant women as well as
pregnant women older than 35.
Interval between pregnancies. Having babies less than two years or more than 10
years apart leads to a higher risk of preeclampsia.
History of certain conditions. Having certain conditions before you become pregnant
— such as chronic high blood pressure, migraines, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, kidney
disease, a tendency to develop blood clots, or lupus — increases your risk of
preeclampsia.
Complications
The more severe your preeclampsia and the earlier it occurs in your pregnancy, the
greater the risks for you and your baby. Preeclampsia may require induced labor and
delivery.
Other organ damage. Preeclampsia may result in damage to the kidneys, liver,
lung, heart, or eyes, and may cause a stroke or other brain injury. The amount of
injury to other organs depends on the severity of preeclampsia.
Cardiovascular disease. Having preeclampsia may increase your risk of future
heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease. The risk is even greater if
you've had preeclampsia more than once or you've had a preterm delivery. To
minimize this risk, after delivery try to maintain your ideal weight, eat a variety
of fruits and vegetables, exercise regularly, and don't smoke.
Prevention
In certain cases, however, you may be able to reduce your risk of preeclampsia with:
It's important that you don't take any medications, vitamins or supplements without
first talking to your doctor.
Before you become pregnant, especially if you've had preeclampsia before, it's a good
idea to be as healthy as you can be. Lose weight if you need to, and make sure other
conditions, such as diabetes, are well-managed.
Once you're pregnant, take care of yourself — and your baby — through early and
regular prenatal care. If preeclampsia is detected early, you and your doctor can work
together to prevent complications and make the best choices for you and your baby.
Asthma
Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra
mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound
(wheezing) when you breathe out and shortness of breath.
For some people, asthma is a minor nuisance. For others, it can be a major problem
that interferes with daily activities and may lead to a life-threatening asthma attack.
Asthma can't be cured, but its symptoms can be controlled. Because asthma often
changes over time, it's important that you work with your doctor to track your signs
and symptoms and adjust your treatment as needed
Risk factors
A number of factors are thought to increase your chances of developing asthma. They
include:
Complications