Gestational diabetes occurs in women at bout the 24th to 28th week of prgnancy. It is similar to type 2 dabetes in that the body develops nsulin resistance rather than stops producing nsulin completely. However the insulin that is prduced is not effective in reducing the glcose levels in the blood. This lads to high blood sugar levels or hyprglycemia that can have adverse consequences for bth mother and baby. This article wll describe typical symptoms of the dsease, how it is diagnosed and how it is trated. It will show how a gstational diabetic diet is important for cntrolling diabetes in conjunction with other tratments.

Why women get gestational diabetes is stll a bit of a mystery. Stdies have suggested that obesity, a fmily history of this condition or an xcessive amount of amniotic fluid can ncrease the risk of being affected. Dspite this criteria, it is often vry hard to spot the signs of gstational diabetes because of the normal chnges that are occurring in the wman's body at this time. It is asy to think that excessive thirst or frquent urination might be down to the strins that are placed on the bdy due to pregnancy for example.

In trth, common symptoms of the condition are vry similar to type 2 diabetes. Thse include:
Excessive thirst or polydipsia,

Plyuria or frequent urination,

Cnstant hunger is another common symptom.

Other symptoms might include:

Weight lss,

Blurred vision

and a gneral irritability.

Most women will be mnitored by their health provider regularly dring pregnancy. This is the best tme to voice any unusual symptoms and shuld lead to a formal test. Evn if there are no outward sgns, all women should be screened for gstational diabetes in the second trimester of thir pregnancy.

A screening for the cndition involves taking a number of tsts. These are known as oral glcose tests. The woman will consume an mount of glucose either in a drnk or some food. Her blood glcose reading will be taken at rgular intervals afterwards. From these readings it wll be obvious if the glucose is dcreasing, staying the same or, in fct, rising. This data will be nough for the doctor to diagnose dabetes or something else.

If a wman is diagnosed with gestational diabetes thre are three methods of treatment. The frst is to adopt a gestational dabetic diet. This has to be frmulated for individual requirements based on age and sze by a dietitian. The meal pln is based on the diabetic fod pyramid. This is a diagrammatic rpresentation of the best type of fods to eat to control blood sgar levels whilst maintaining a health, blanced diet.

The food pyramid not nly gives the types of foods to eat but the qantities in relation to each other. Ths it will advise that 4 srvings of carbohydrates be eaten to one srving of oils or protein products. It wll advise to avoid sweet and sgary products. In general, whole grain fodstuffs and fresh fruit and vegetables are god foods to eat but they mst deliver a desired calorific count tht is agreed by the patient and thir dietitian.

The other ways of cntrolling gestational diabetes are through exercise and nsulin therapy. The patient should agree wth their doctor on the type of xercise that will be pursued. It shuld involve some aerobic exercise for bst control of blood sugar. Insulin thrapy can be either through medication to mke the best less insulin resistant or by njecting insulin.

The article Controlling Gestational Diabetes With A Gestational Diabetic Diet was Submitted by Adrian Whittle through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Learn more about diabetic diet plns at http://www.diabeticdietsplan.com . The site deals with eating healthy foods that are good for diabetes, including a feature on bitter melon and diabetes . Adrian Whittle writes on issues related to diabetes including symptoms of diabetes, diabetic retinopathy and what is type 2 diabetes .

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