Pancreas May Be Key To Pregnancy Linked Diabetes

Diabetes is referred to as the elevated levels of glucose in the blood beyond the normal levels. Glucose is, essentially, a type of sugar that is present in most food products in some form or the other. The pancreas in our body produces a hormone known as insulin to maintain the glucose level in our blood. When there is any abnormality in the functioning of the pancreas, the insulin secretion is reduced and results in the increased glucose level.

During pregnancy, many women tend to develop temporary diabetes known as gestational diabetes. However, the pancreas is not directly responsible for this type of diabetes. Rather, the problem lies with placenta. The placenta gives the required nourishment to the baby. It secretes several other hormones that may sometimes interfere with the normal response to insulin. In that case, the pancreas has to produce additional insulin in order to maintain the normal glucose levels. If the pancreas is unable to produce the adequate, extra insulin required, your blood sugar may increase to an abnormally high level. If that is the case, you may suffer from gestational diabetes. The risk of gestational diabetes may be due to the following reasons:

• If you are overweight
• If you have a family history of gestational diabetes
• If you had given birth to an overweight baby previously

The diagnosis for gestational diabetes is done during the sixth and seventh month of the pregnancy. You will be asked to drink a specially prepared solution that contains a measured quantity of glucose (exactly 50 grams). After an hour, a blood sample will be taken to ascertain the glucose level in your blood. The normal glucose level is 140 ml/dl or below. If the glucose level is above this, then a special test is required to be performed. In this test, you will be advised to follow a specific diet during the next three days. Before the test, you will not be allowed to consume any food for at least 12 Hours. Then, a blood sample will be taken to determine the glucose level in the fasting period. After that, you will be given a solution containing 100 grams of glucose to drink. Then, three tests will be conducted on an hourly basis. If the glucose level is higher than the normal in the two samples, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

For prevention and treatment you will be advised diet control, regular light exercises, and increased body movements.

As you may see, though not directly, the pancreas is the key to pregnancy linked diabetes.