Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

`Pregnant women need to be aware of gestational diabetes'

Staff Reporter

COIMBATORE: Most pregnant women are not aware of gestational diabetes, said Dr. K. Santhi, Consultant Diabetologist of Asian Diabetes Centre. "If left unchecked, it could pose severe danger to the mother and the baby," she said.

She was talking to reporters in connection with a gestational diabetes consultation camp to be organised by the Asian Diabetes Centre at VG Centre, Gandhipuram from April 17 to 21.

"Almost 50 per cent of gestational diabetes in India goes undetected," she pointed out. While women in the city tested the blood sugar level during pregnancy, most of them living in the peripheries were not aware of it, Dr. Santhi said.

The hormonal changes taking place due to pregnancy could cause glucose intolerance in many pregnant women. Late pregnancy (over 30 years), obesity, family history of diabetes, previous baby weighing more than 3.5-4 kg and history of repeated abortions could cause gestational diabetes in women. Such women also fell into the high-risk category.

Children born to women with gestational diabetes may suffer from pulmonary insufficiency (acute respiratory distress syndrome). They may also become prone to hypoglycaemia (fall in the blood sugar level). Some children were also likely to contract other complications such as jaundice, Dr. Santhi said. The risk of diabetic coma in mothers with gestational diabetes cannot be overlooked, she said. Babies born to such women may also become diabetic at a very early age if they were obese and had low physical activity. Women who belonged to the high-risk group should check their blood sugar once in every three months after the initial visit to the hospital.

If detected at an early stage, gestational diabetes could be controlled through proper diet and physical activity.

"But, in some cases it cannot be controlled by these alone," she said. The Asian Diabetes Centre also planned to conduct a counselling camp for children later in April.

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