Diabetes & Depression During Pregnancy

By Ashley | February 18, 2010
Diabetes And Depression In Pregnancy

Diabetes Linked to Depression During & After Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time when most expectant mothers have varying emotions, caused by the physical and emotional changes that they are experiencing. These changes could be caused by the various hormonal changes that take place within the body, or by other stimulants in the surroundings. Depression and emotional turmoil are some very common experiences that women go through, during and even for some time after a pregnancy. Most often, depression is brought on by the physical changes that a woman experiences during her pregnancy. The changing of the body and the feeling that she may be undesirable to her partner because of the changes is one of the most common triggers of depression faced by expectant mothers.

Depression During Pregnancy

When people get depressed, they have a natural tendency to consume more food, to help them overcome the sorrow that they are experiencing. Due to a lack of exercise during the pregnancy, the glucose that is present in the large amounts of food that is eaten is not made proper use of, because of the lowered metabolic rate of the body. The unused glucose is absorbed by the blood, causing a rise in the level of blood sugar, which in turn gives rise to gestational diabetes. Besides this, during pregnancy, all women develop a resistance to insulin, which further reduces the metabolism of sugar and glucose in the body. Diabetes during pregnancy is also dependent on a number of other factors that include race, age, body mass index and lifestyle.

Diabetes in Depression During Pregnancy Treatment

There are a number of ways to help overcome depression caused by diabetes, but the most important thing to be kept in mind is that you should feel good about yourself. Keeping yourself occupied through activities that draw your attention away from depressive thoughts and feelings are recommended. Activities such as choosing a name for your baby, knitting or crocheting your baby’s first set of clothes and woolies will definitely take your mind off depressive thoughts and keep your spirits up, in anticipation of the marvelous things to come. Soft, instrumental music is also known to relieve stress and depression. Besides this, keeping your blood sugar levels under control will lower the risk of diabetes, which is a known cause for depression during and after a pregnancy. Walking is an excellent form of exercise which helps to burn up the stored glucose, keeping you and your baby healthy – both physically as well as emotionally. Reducing the amount of salt in your daily meals is also known to help keep gestational diabetes under control.

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