Scare for mother-to-be

She was shocked when she was told she had diabetes

ABU DHABI//NM, a 26-year-old Indian mother- to- be, developed pre-diabetes after gaining nearly 10 kilograms after moving to the UAE two years ago.

“I gained weight after I got married but I didn’t have diabetes,” she said.

“After coming here my lifestyle changed and the quality of food changed. I started having irregular periods and it was then that I consulted a doctor.”

Tests found her blood sugar levels were very high and she was prescribed medication. “My blood sugar was high even before I was pregnant,” she said. “I thought I was having irregular periods because of polycystic ovaries.”

Her lifestyle changed when she came to the UAE. Back home she was used to cooking with fresh ingredients but relied on fast or frozen food in the UAE, she said. Her doctor advised her to control her diet and take regular exercise . Because she is pregnant, her medication has been increased while she has to check her blood sugar levels regularly.

Although her blood was sugar high, she did not have any symptoms and did not know she had a problem. Dr Gowri Ramanathan, head of obstetrics and gynaecology and consultant foetal medicine specialist at Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women and Children, said she saw many pregnant women suffering from Type 2 diabetes.

This form of diabetes can create complications for the mother and baby because the placenta produces its own sugar and hormones. For the mother, sugar control becomes more difficult and insulin resistance might develop.

“The baby is bathed in sugar and if the sugar levels are high from very early on, the baby may develop congenital abnormalities,” Dr Ramanathan said. “The baby may be too big or too small and this can complicate the delivery of the child.”

Many women suffer from gestational diabetes during pregnancy, but this goes after the pregnancy.

Between 2 per cent and 3 per cent of women are affected by gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

The doctor stressed the significance of pre- conception control for women with type 2 diabetes.

“It’s very important to get that control early on,” Dr Ramanathan said. “We prevent a problem by making sure the sugar levels are fine before pregnancy.

“Most of us spend a lot of time at work. Obesity is a problem with this population, and this increases the risk.”