Blood sugar during pregnancy: Follow these steps to avoid gestational diabetes

A spike in the blood sugar of the mother can cause many issues during childbirth and affect her health even post delivery.

Pic courtesy: Pixabay

High Blood sugar is one of the major and common ailments across the world, that if left unchecked, can lead to severe health complications. For women who are pregnant, it's essential to keep a check of their blood sugar levels, because they can develop gestational diabetes, that is diabetes that may be developed during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can lead to many health issues and also increases the chance of diabetes in women, even when their pregnancy period is over.

A spike in the blood sugar of the mother can cause many issues during childbirth as well as affect her health even post delivery. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US, gestational diabetes also ups the risk of your child developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. The baby can also be too large, making delivery difficult; the child can also be born early and develop breathing issues.

Here are five helpful tips to lower the chances of gestational diabetes for women who are yet to conceive. 

Exercise regularly: Yes, it's as obvious as a suggestion can get, but still very important. Irregular glucose activity in the body leads to gestational diabetes but exercising regularly can help keep problems at bay. 

Eat right and maintain body weight: If you are an obese woman, the chances of your developing diabetes during pregnancy remain higher than non-obese expecting moms. A well-balanced diet and healthy body weight help in keeping blood sugar at bay.

Increase fibre intake: Increasing daily consumption of fibre by 10% can lower gestational diabetes risks by about 26%, say reports. So consume fibre-rich food like vegetables, fruits, a variety of beans and whole grains.

Have black tea, black coffee: Instead of milk tea and coffee, go black! Green tea, black tea, and black coffee with no added sugar can make a lot of difference.

Avoid junk food: Fried food, junk food, and sugary beverages lead to spikes in blood sugar levels. So avoid these.

It's important to note that before you conceive, you can lose weight by following the above measures. But if you are already pregnant, don't try to lose weight. In pregnancy, gaining some amount of weight is essential for a healthy baby, but consult your doctor and find out how weight gain is okay for you.  

(Disclaimer: The article provides generic information only. Please consult your doctor for more information. ZEE NEWS does not confirm this.)