Danger of Gestational Diabetes

Pregnant women have to take care of themselves considerably to have healthy babies. However, changing hormones and bodies might cause diseases leading to pregnancy complications such as diabetes that might cause disabled babies or death.

All pregnant women should check whether they have a risk of diabetes. Let’s see causes and tips to reduce the risk to relieve worries and doubts.

What is gestational diabetes?

First thing about gestational diabetes that you should know is the types.

• Pregestational diabetes
• Gestational diabetes
  

Gestational diabetes is more common in Thailand.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

• This is diabetes type 1 that develops during pregnancy. The condition is mostly found during week 24 – 28 of the pregnancy. It is caused by some hormones produced from the placenta which increase insulin resistance, resulting in higher blood sugar. This will harm mother and child if treatment is not provided.
  

Symptoms

It might be asymptomatic, but there are some basic symptoms below.

• Increased thirst
• Pee more often
• Tiredness
• Dry mouth
  

🔖 Nakornthon Hospital

🔖 Nonthavej Hospital

🔖 Bangpakok Hospital (Data as of 10/09/2021)

Risks

There are many risks of gestational diabetes. If pregnant women have the following factors, they have higher risk of having the disease.

• Overweight
• Had gestational diabetes in previous pregnancy
• Have polycystic ovary syndrome
• Have high blood sugar
• Over 30 years old
• Have hypertension before or during pregnancy
• First cousins have diabetes and complicated pregnancy and childbirth such as miscarriage, fetal death or newborn’s weight of over 4 kg.
  

🔖 Nakornthon Hospital

🔖 theasianparent

🔖 Saint Louis Hospital  (Data as of 08/09/2021)

Effects of gestational diabetes

Mother and fetus can be affected as follows.

Effects on fetus

• Premature infant
• An overweight newborn such as a fat infant might cause difficult childbirth or affect childbirth.
• Infant has low blood sugar after birth and respiratory distress. There is a risk of fetus death.
• Infant might become obese and has diabetes type 2 in the future.
  

Effects on mother

• Preeclampsia after having high blood pressure and high urine proteins, which mostly occurs in the third trimester.
• Higher risk of needing C-section because of big infant.
• Gestational diabetes might develop to be diabetes type 2, more than normal cases by 7.4 times.
• Long-term high blood sugar causes health problems such as diabetic retinopathy, heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage, etc.
  

🔖 Nonthavej Hospital

🔖 Bangpakok Hospital (Data as of 10/09/2021)

Self-care during pregnancy

If you are concerned about gestational diabetes, please follow the tips below.

• Control diet appropriately to consume sufficient energy, and have proper weight.
• Control blood sugar to be in normal level, and check blood sugar level for closely monitoring.
• Frequent checkup with gynecologist.
• Should have iron-rich foods because pregnant women might have anemia.
• Should have foods that relieve abdominal distention such as ginger juice which improves milk supply.
• Should have vegetables and fruits, especially green and orange vegetables because they will strengthen fetus growth and health of the mother.
• Superfoods for breastfeeding are Thai spicy vegetable soup, banana blossom salad, stir-fried with ginger, etc.
• Sit, sleep or walk carefully, and should sleep on left side to give optimal blood flow and breathing.
• Must consult with a physician before taking pills because some pills might affect fetus.
  

🔖 Saint Louis Hospital (Data as of 08/09/2021)

🔖 Ramkhamhaeng Hospital  (Data as of 29/07/2020)

Family planning before having a child is really important, as well as an annual checkup and health insurance, because if you have health insurance while you are healthy, you will receive full coverage. Health insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions. So, it might be too late if you purchase it after getting sick.

Generally, health insurance does not cover “gestational diabetes” because it is pregnancy complications which is in general exclusions of health insurance.

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Moreover, you can add a coverage of Maternity Plus that covers “gestational diabetes” with coverage limit of 2 – 4 million Baht/ policy year under any plans of Elite Health Plus (plans of 20 – 100 million Baht). However, waiting period is 280 days after effective date, and you must not have diabetes before buying Maternity Plus coverage.

• Risk of miscarriage
• Risk of complications during pregnancy and after childbirth
• Childbirth expenses

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(1) In case of choosing global coverage area.

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• • Elite Health Plus must be purchased to be attached to in-force policy.
  • Coverage period of the rider must not exceed the coverage period of the life insurance policy that this rider is attached to.
  • Premium is eligible for tax deduction. Conditions are as specified by the Revenue Department.
  • Coverage conditions are as specified in the insurance policy.
  • Underwriting is subject to the Company’s rules.
  • Standard single room fee means standard single room fee of hospitals in Thailand.
  • Conditions are subject to the medical practice guidelines, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infection in a hospital in case of COVID-19 according to the announcement dated 2 November 2021, and guidelines for medical personnel for providing home isolation recommendations and service management for COVID-19 patients (revised version) dated 4 January 2022, or in accordance with the latest announcement.
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