Your body produces more insulin during pregnancy to help your baby grow. On the other hand, pregnancy also makes you more resistant to insulin. This is why many women develop diabetes during pregnancy, commonly known as gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes appears in one or more pregnancies. It usually begins during pregnancy. Most tests happen between weeks 24 to 28.
PREGNANCY DIABETES: GESTATIONAL DIABETES AND HYPOGLYCAEMIA DIABETES
Pregnancy causes the body to produce more insulin for the baby’s development, which increases resistance and can lead to gestational diabetes. Hyperglycaemia is more common due to these changes.
Hypoglycaemia during pregnancy is the condition whereby the blood sugar level falls below 60 mg/dl, due to the body’s response to insulin, resulting in a low blood sugar level. Trimacare pregnancy supplement contains vitamin D, which is an essential factor for the prevention of gestational diabetes.
LOW SUGAR AND RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH PREGNANCY
After delivery, a baby may have low blood sugar levels during pregnancy because of a prolonged high mother’s blood glucose levels, which leads to high insulin levels in the baby’s blood.
The baby does not have the mother’s glucose causing hypoglycaemia in pregnancy that is monitored post-birth.
In case of poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy, the babies may also develop low sugar in pregnancy post-birth requiring continuous monitoring.
Risks to the mother:
Dizziness and Fainting: Low blood sugar in pregnancy may cause dizziness, light-headedness, or even fainting in pregnant women, which is a serious risk because of changes in blood volume and circulation.
Impaired Cognitive Function: Low blood sugar leads to hypoglycaemia during pregnancy which impairs cognitive functions such as confusion, poor concentration and irritability causing disturbance in day-to-day activities and may have an impact on maternal health too.
Severe Cases and Seizures: Seizures can occur in severe cases of hypoglycaemia during pregnancy, which is a rare but significant health risk for the mother.
Risks to the Baby:
Foetal Distress: Hypoglycaemia can be caused by low blood sugar in the mother during pregnancy, reducing the oxygen supply to the baby and leading to possible foetal distress.
Preterm Birth: Multivitamins that are very high for pregnant women may cause early labour, and it can eventually result in a preterm birth that poses different health risks to the baby.
Low Birth Weight: Pregnancy with low blood sugar may sometimes make a baby born lighter than their actual birth weight
CAUSES OF LOW SUGAR DURING PREGNANCY
Hypoglycaemia can occur in pregnancy due to several reasons, especially in those women who are diagnosed with gestational diabetes or pre-existing diabetes. Some causes of low blood sugar during pregnancy include:
Insulin Production: Pregnancy brings about different hormonal changes that impact the body’s production and sensitivity to insulin. Relaxin, progesterone, and human placental lactogen are some of the hormones from the placenta that increase in levels and cause insulin resistance with a decreased response to insulin. The result is low sugar in pregnancy.
During pregnancy, hormonal changes occur within the body that may influence insulin production and sensitivity. The high level of some hormones from the placenta leads to resistance to insulin; that is, the body becomes less responsive to insulin.
Skipping Meals or Irregular Eating Patterns: The gap between meals or missing meals may cause low blood sugar in pregnancy. This effect is usually more exaggerated in pregnancy due to increased metabolic demands.
Insulin or Medication Dosage: In women with diabetes or gestational diabetes, taking insulin or certain medications to manage blood sugar levels can sometimes lead to hypoglycaemia during pregnancy if the dosage is too high or if it’s not balanced with food intake.
Overexertion: High levels of physical activity without appropriate food intake lead to low blood sugar during pregnancy. One must exercise care and keep a balance between physical activity and nutrition during pregnancy.
Unplanned Weight Loss: Significant unplanned weight loss during pregnancy will sometimes affect blood sugar levels.
Stress or Illness: Stress, infections, and certain illnesses may also influence blood sugar regulation, causing hypoglycaemia during pregnancy.
Poor Diet or Inadequate Nutrient Intake: Low blood sugar in pregnancy can result from not consuming adequate carbohydrates or other nutrients to maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Increased Glucose Usage by the Baby: As the pregnancy progresses, the growing baby’s glucose needs may increase, affecting maternal blood sugar levels.
RISK FACTORS LINKED TO LOW SUGAR DURING PREGNANCY
Glucose is crucial for body and brain energy, and maintaining normal levels is essential during pregnancy. Low blood sugar pregnancy supports foetal development and prevents seizures, comas, and death. Untreated low blood sugar can lead to severe episodes and damage foetal beta cells, which produce insulin.
The hypoglycaemia during pregnancy can indeed pose risks to both the mother and the baby. When the blood sugar level goes below the normal range, there can be various complications:
Diabetes: Pregnancy and diabetes cause insulin levels to fluctuate. There is a need for constant monitoring. Consultation with a doctor regularly is very important to avoid sudden changes in blood sugar levels, which can affect pregnancy and the growth of the foetus.
Low blood sugar during pregnancy risks are dangerous in a way to influence many dimensions of health. While mild hypoglycemia during pregnancy may often be readily managed through immediate intervention, more severe and protracted episodes of hypoglycemia pose a greater risk and are less likely to be controlled.
Find some potential risks associated with hypoglycaemia during pregnancy:
Loss of Consciousness or Seizures: Prolonged severe low sugar during pregnancy may lead to loss of consciousness or seizures, which pose serious risks to the immediate safety of the individual.
Impaired Brain Function: Long-term repeated or prolonged hypoglycaemia in pregnancy, especially among diabetic patients, can impair cognitive function.
Cardiovascular Issues: Low blood sugar in pregnancy can trigger irregular heartbeats leading to cardiac arrhythmias or other cardiovascular complications.
Hypoglycaemia Unawareness: Diabetic patients can lose hypoglycaemia awareness; this is a loss of ability to recognize symptoms of low sugar in pregnancy, and hence the risk of severe, unnoticed episodes.
Hormonal Response: Repeated hypoglycaemic during pregnancy causes a counterregulatory hormonal response in the body, making it challenging to maintain stable blood sugar levels in the long run.
Dizziness and Fainting: Low blood sugar during pregnancy can cause dizziness or even fainting, which can be dangerous because blood volume and circulation are changed in pregnancy.
Malnutrition: A woman’s pregnancy will be very fundamental in ensuring adequate nutrition and content of calories in her body as their deficiency enhances the risk for low blood sugar pregnancy.
Foetal Distress: Low blood sugar during pregnancy of a mother may decrease blood flow to the baby along with oxygen delivery, causing distress to the foetus.
Preterm Birth: For the more severe case, hypoglycaemia can cause labour during pregnancy that could lead to the baby’s early birth with risk and possible complications regarding their health.
Low Birth Weight: Other symptoms of pregnancy blood sugar at very low levels could result in babies born smaller.
SYMPTOMS OF LOW SUGAR DURING PREGNANCY
Hypoglycaemia or low sugar during pregnancy may cause several symptoms. It is necessary to be aware of such symptoms if you have gestational diabetes and are prone to low sugar during your pregnancy. Some of the main symptoms of low sugar during pregnancy are:
Mild Symptoms:
Feeling Shaky or Trembling: You may feel a shakiness, especially in your hands.
Sweating: Profuse sweating without any physical exertion or environmental reasons can be a sign of low blood sugar.
Hunger: Sudden intense hunger, even after having eaten recently, is a sign of low blood sugar pregnancy.
Dizziness or Lightheadedness: You may feel dizzy or lightheaded. Dizziness can be sudden and often comes with a feeling of weakness.
Moderate to Severe Symptoms:
Confusion or Difficulty Concentrating: You might feel confused, have difficulty concentrating, or experience memory lapses.
Blurred Vision: During pregnancy, low blood sugar can cause vision disturbances or blurred vision.
Irritability or Mood Changes: Being unusually irritable, anxious, or having mood swings is one of the signs of hypoglycaemia during pregnancy.
Fatigue or Weakness: Feeling extremely tired or weak, beyond what might be expected during pregnancy, can indicate low sugar in pregnancy.
Headaches: Some women may experience headaches or migraines when their blood sugar drops.
Severe Confusion or Disorientation: Extreme confusion, disorientation, or difficulty speaking coherently requires immediate medical attention.
Loss of Consciousness: This is a rather serious symptom, requiring immediate medical attention, as it usually progresses to full unconsciousness.
MANAGING LOW SUGAR IN PREGNANCY
Low sugar during pregnancy must be managed for the mother’s and baby’s health and well-being. Here are some effective tips on managing and preventing low sugar in pregnancy:
Dietary Tips:
- Regular Meals and Snacks: Eat small, frequent meals during the day. Keep your blood sugar levels stable and avoid periods without eating.
- Balanced Diet: Use a well-balanced diet containing complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fibre-rich foods.
- Limit Sugary Foods: Minimize the intake of sugary foods and refined carbohydrates that can cause rapid spikes and reduce the chances of low blood sugar during pregnancy.
- Monitor Carbohydrate Intake: Be mindful of the amount and type of carbohydrates consumed in each meal to avoid sudden fluctuations in hypoglycaemia during pregnancy.
Lifestyle and Habits:
- Regular Physical Activity: Gentle exercises or activities recommended by your doctor may help in controlling blood sugar levels.
- Drink plenty of water: Dehydration can impact blood sugar levels, so drink enough water.
- Blood Sugar Monitoring: Monitor blood sugar levels as indicated by your physician. Regular monitoring helps track trends and identify triggers for low sugar in pregnancy.
TRIMACARE: THE BEST PREGNANCY VITAMIN SUPPLEMENT FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETES
Trimacare is a pregnancy multivitamin specially formulated by doctors, pharmacologists, and nutritionists to offer over 20+ nutrients in three different packs for each trimester, adhering to the guidelines of the WHO and ICMR. Trimacare prenatal vitamins Vitamin D for the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, providing 100% RDA to meet any gaps in the diet. Vitamin D present in Trimacare helps in reducing the risk of gestational diabetes.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Tell some general symptoms of hypoglycaemia during pregnancy.
Some general symptoms are -Dizziness, sweating, shakiness, hunger, irritability, and confusion are some of the most common symptoms of low blood sugar in pregnancy.
- Is it safe to exercise if I have low blood sugar during pregnancy?
Ans- Yes, it is relatively safe to work out during pregnancy if you have low blood sugar; however, it is imperative to monitor the blood sugar closely and adjust activity levels. For specific directions, speak with your doctor.
- What should I do if I have symptoms of low blood sugar during pregnancy?
For a pregnant woman who develops signs of hypoglycaemia, she must be instructed to take a quickly acting carbohydrate source, such as fruit juice or glucose tablets, to raise the blood sugar speedily and then a balanced meal or snack to maintain the blood sugar.
- How many times should I check my blood sugar during pregnancy?
Ans- The doctor will probably instruct you to check your blood sugar levels very often during pregnancy. This you will do every day, every time before each meal, as well as possibly during the middle of the night. Your provider will instruct you on how to track your blood sugar levels based on your condition and needs.
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