Too Much Sugar During Pregnancy: Possible Risks
Education and counseling are the best nutrition strategies to help mothers-to-be to avoid complications during and after pregnancy.
Too much sugar is harmful to us all, but expectant mothers need to be extra careful. Because complications during pregnancy can also increase the risk of future diseases.
There are many changes in pregnancy. The body prepares for the new life and therefore has special needs that must be taken into account.
The pregnancy
During pregnancy, the expectant mother’s body has to adapt to the new circumstances. These physical changes also affect blood sugar levels and plasma lipid levels, among other things. In addition, there are hormonal changes, which also affect insulin production. There may be some resistance to this hormone.
This is important in order to ensure the supply of glucose to the maternal and child brains. The mammary glands are also supplied with glucose, but other organs receive less.
Pregnancy: Avoid Too Much Sugar!
In some women, there is a change in carbohydrate metabolism during pregnancy . This impairment causes blood sugar levels to be higher than normal on an empty stomach. If glucose and insulin levels are normal or even rather low on an empty stomach, they will rise above average after consuming carbohydrates. This change is usually particularly pronounced in the last trimester of pregnancy.
Insulin resistance can develop during pregnancy . The body then sometimes needs more insulin in order to be able to process the glucose absorbed through diet. If not enough insulin is made, the glucose cannot be metabolized and accumulates in the blood.
If blood sugar levels vary during pregnancy, it can have very serious consequences for the development of the fetus. It also increases the risk that the child will develop diabetes in adulthood.
Too Much Sugar in Pregnancy and Diabetes
If the expectant mother gets too much sugar through her diet, the situation can get even more complicated. As a result, gestational diabetes could develop. This metabolic disorder is usually temporary because the pregnant woman cannot produce enough insulin or develops resistance.
Gestational diabetes and its complications
Gestational diabetes increases the risk of the following disorders:
- High blood pressure in pregnancy
- Diseases associated with diabetes
- Need for a caesarean section
In addition, various studies have shown that 50 percent of women with gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.
Healthy Eating During Pregnancy
Diet plays an essential role in preventing gestational diabetes. The World Health Organization (WHO) points out that the expectant mother should pay particular attention to the balanced intake of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals.
To achieve this, the following foods should not be missing in the expectant mother’s diet:
- fruit and vegetables
- Lean red meat
- fish
- legumes
- Dried fruits
- Whole grain cereals
If gestational diabetes has already developed, the expectant mother has to measure her blood sugar level every day. A varied, healthy diet and exercise are particularly important. If the blood sugar level is too high, the doctor will prescribe appropriate medication.
You Should Avoid Too Much Sugar During Pregnancy!
Upbringing and counseling are important strategies for improving the mother-to-be’s diet and thus avoiding future complications.
This mainly involves the following measures:
- Improve the quality of nutrition and adapt it to the individual needs of the expectant mother.
- Pay attention to healthy weight gain through a balanced diet and thus prevent too rapid or excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
Get help from your doctor or nutritionist to properly regulate your sugar and carbohydrate intake during pregnancy. Don’t forget that you should also be exercising in addition to this. Your doctor can help you find the best form of exercise for you.
