What is Type I Diabetes?
Diabetes is a medical condition in which our body is unable to control the level of sugar in the blood properly. Type I diabetes is severe diabetes mellitus, a condition in which our body requires insulin daily as the lack of insulin increases the sugar level in blood and urine. Basically, this is insulin-dependent diabetes.
Type I Diabetes and Pregnancy
If you are a diabetic and if you have conceived or are trying to conceive, it is necessary to keep your diabetes in control to have a healthy pregnancy. This protects your baby from any adverse effect.
What are the Symptoms?
- Increased thirst
- Excessive urination
- Increased hunger
- Dry mouth
- Weight loss
- Extreme fatigue
- Blurred vision
What are the Risks?
Women with Type I diabetes can have a healthy pregnancy and baby, but it’s critical to keep an eye on diabetes complications that may worsen during pregnancy.
- Macrosomia: Also known as foetal obesity, macrosomia is a medical condition in which the baby grows too large, making it difficult for vaginal birthing.
- Growth restriction: The baby may not grow at the normal rate if the mother has Type 1 diabetes.
- Growth acceleration: The baby may grow at a faster rate than the normal development.
- Birth defects: A baby born to a mother with uncontrolled diabetes may suffer from a variety of birth defects.
Here are some tips to manage your Type I diabetes better!
- Meal planning: You should plan your meal and maintain proper timings of meals throughout the day. You should eat three meals which should be small and around one to three snacks daily.
- Include fibre: Have adequate fibre intake in the form of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
- Avoid sweets: Avoid having sweets or items containing sugar, honey, jaggery or any other sweetener.
- Do physical activity: You should engage yourself in mild physical activities like walking, swimming etc., as advised by the Doctor/ Physiotherapist
- Check glucose level frequently: Monitor the glucose level frequently as it will help you to know whether your blood sugar level is normal or not. In addition, keep a proper record of the test results.
- Take insulin: Some women may need extra insulin to keep the glucose level normal. In that case, you must take insulin as recommended by your doctor which is not harmful to your baby.
For more information, please talk to our team of Nutritionists and Dieticians. Call 1800 419 1397.