‘Ignored sugar levels may complicate pregnancy’

Spending long hours in the chair, particularly during the night can cause abnormal fluctuations in sugar levels of an individual. Women working at call centres and other such offices are fast becoming victims of diabetes.

Experts at the “12th National Congress of the Diabetes in Pregnancy” held on Friday at scientific convention centre said that such women who had to work till late night in offices must take care of their sugar levels and adequate precautions to control it.

“If sugar levels are ignored, it gives complications during pregnancy,” said Dr Anuj Maheshwari, organising secretary of the conference.

Experts said that women who worked at night did have food, but it was not consumed properly as they did not do enough physical exercise for normal digestion. Those working at night are mostly sleeping during the day.

Dr Maheshwari said that in 2006, about 4.10 crore population in India was diabetic and now the number had crossed 7 crore. He said that chances of diabetes was high during pregnancy and with poor eating and reduced physical exercise, it was even higher.

“The hormone from placenta helps the foetus grow but with hormonal imbalance due to diabetes, the growth is effected adversely,” said Dr Maheshwari.

Doctors, including Dr Anand Shankar from Patna, discussed various issues related to diabetes and pregnancy. They said that food was the most important aspect to make sure the sugar levels were normal and hence, such women should keep a strict watch on what they ate.