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Pregnant with diabetes. External source.
Diabetes during pregnancy causes multiple complications, but can be managed with proper nutrition, without falling into dangerous deprivation, according to a study published Thursday in the British Journal of Medicine (BMJ).
The so-called “gestational” diabetes is “associated with pregnancy complications”, explains the report. This disorder is diagnosed by a blood sugar level that is too high, which usually disappears after delivery, although it increases the risk of developing classic diabetes in the following years.
It is considered one of the most common disorders in pregnant women, although it is difficult to give an exact frequency due to the lack of consensus on what constitutes excess blood glucose.
Its frequency has been increasing for several years, in part because the Being overweight -which favors diabetes- is becoming more and more common.
What are the risks for the proper development of pregnancy? And for the baby itself? This is what the BMJ study was about. to evaluate.
The subject is not new, but the work led by the Chinese researcher Fangkun Liu is of an important magnitude, and includes some 150 previous studies in more than seven million pregnant women.
The researchers were able to confirm The existence of numerous risks and, an important novelty, specifically demonstrate that they are related to diabetes itself and not to being overweight.
Risk of malnutrition
Confirmed risks include not only caesarean section and premature birth, but also preeclampsia -a disorder that is manifested by hypertension and can evolve into dangerous seizures- or an abnormally high weight in the newborn.< /p>
Insulin treatment is necessary in some women. The study mentions particular risks for the latter, and possible respiratory distress for the baby. at birth.
However, this work is also reassuring regarding an eventual death of the newborn. The authors note that there is “no apparent difference” between In this area-nor a risk of miscarriage-between women with gestational diabetes and other pregnant women.
On the other hand, the risk of malnutrition is particularly high in pregnant women. This forces a difficult balance to control blood glucose without frustrating energy needs.
Hence Importance of consulting the doctor and nutritionist, even though they themselves lack reference points and resort to very different approaches.
Should certain foods be prohibited? Split meals to lower blood sugar?
French diabetologists, under the aegis of nutritionists Hélène Louvet and Atefeh Nikpeyma, published detailed recommendations a few weeks ago.
“Existing dietary advice was old and very succinct”, Louvet emphasizes.
These new regulations, which obviously must be adapted to each case, seek to avoid as much as possible altering the patient’s diet.
They do not recommend< strong> Absolutely prohibit any sugary foods, although logically it should be limited, or meals divided. However, this remains a possibility depending on the evolution of blood glucose.
One must “take into account the particular situations due to pregnancy, but also The various difficulties (eating habits, tastes, social, financial, professional and organizational situation, etc.) to propose the most appropriate accompaniment and follow-up to the patient”, summarizes this work.