Things You Should Know About Gestational Diabetes Symptoms

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is considered one of the most prevalent complications during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes symptoms are usually ignored because they are confused with the normal discomforts of pregnancy. Increased frequency of urination, increased thirst and increased hunger are some of the most prevalent gestational diabetes symptoms.

Polyuria is the term for repeated urination which is also a typical symptom of pregnancy. Usually, expectant mothers experience an increased desire to urinate due to the developing fetus pressing on the bladder. In women with gestational diabetes, however, the cause of this is different. Whenever there’s far too much sugar in the blood, the kidneys become saturated with sugar. This causes the osmotic pressure within the kidneys to rise resulting in poor reabsorption of water in the body, hence an increase in the amount of urine in the bladder. This increase in volume in turn results to a frequent need to go to the toilet.

Polyphagia or increased hunger is yet another common gestational diabetes symptom. But then again, food cravings are normal symptoms of pregnancy. These are caused by hormonal changes in a pregnant woman’s body. But then again, a person who has GDM experiences increased urge to eat for an entirely different reason. Inadequate amounts of insulin and insulin resistance both lead to a faster speed of energy spending. Since energy is utilized faster than usual, the person experiences an increased desire for food.

Another common gestational diabetes symptom is polydipsia or increased thirst. But then again, being thirsty all the time can be a normal symptom of pregnancy. A pregnant woman needs to drink plenty of fluids because of the extra 2 liters of blood that circulates in her body and the presence of amniotic fluid which replaces itself every 30 minutes. In pregnant women with GDM, however, the desire to drink constantly is caused by another mechanism. Due to the higher than normal levels of sugar, water is not reabsorbed in the body which results in recurrent urination. When the body eliminates fluid every so often, a message is sent to the brain to drink more in order to make up for the loss, thus the sensation of thirst.

Pregnancy is a time when a woman’s body experiences extreme changes. While a lot of these discomforts are common, a few are already symptoms of a health condition. That being said, it is essential to visit the doctor the moment these symptoms become prevalent. Knowing the causes of such discomforts may save you and your baby from medical conditions that you may otherwise not know about.


By Daily Health Tips