The Connection Between Gestational Diabetes and a Lack of Sleep

It can easily be said that pregnant mothers have one of the most important jobs available, as they are the ones that are responsible for bringing new life into the world. But also, the roles of these women extend to greater lengths than most people realize. Recently in the world of medicine, “new research in the United States has found a link between a lack of sleep during pregnancy and an increased risk of gestational diabetes. Carried out by the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine, the large-scale meta-analysis looked at eight studies which included 17,308 pregnant women.”

From these figures, researchers have only recently discovered how much gestational health conditions actually affect pregnant women. In fact, “all of the studies asked the women to self-report on their sleep duration, except one which measured sleep objectively using an accelerometer, and assessed the women for gestational diabetes.” Pregnant mothers generally have their child’s best interest at heart, so they do their best to maintain their health while pregnant. However, there are some pregnancies that can create a cause of concern for a mother's health, which can seriously affect the decisions they make regarding their child.

Usually, the health issues that the pregnant mothers have vanish after their child is born. But, despite that fact, the child of the mother may have a possibility to also have that health condition when they are born. In some instances, this can also have a permanent effect on the child once they are born. However, this can be avoided if proper care is taken, but mothers are not always aware of these conditions and their parameters. Recently, a link between gestational diabetes and sleep deprivation has been discovered within expecting mothers. If this link truly has a positive correlation, then pregnant women should try to reevaluate the health decisions that they make while undergoing their pregnancy.

Understanding gestational diabetes

There are several forms of diabetes and each variation of the condition involves the use of insulin. Insulin is secreted into the blood stream in order to properly regulate the natural blood glucose level that provides energy to the body. Gestational diabetes can become problematic if left untreated because the energy of the mother is being shared with the child. Medical experts claim that “gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy (gestation). Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects how your cells use sugar (glucose). Gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby's health.”

As stated earlier, the health of the baby is solely dependent on the mother of that child. If a mother does believe that she is at risk for gestational diabetes, then it is her responsibility as a parent to consult with her doctor about the issue because the blood glucose level of the mother is constantly being utilized by the child. In some cases, “your doctor may refer you to additional health professionals who specialize in diabetes, such as an endocrinologist, a registered dietitian or a diabetes educator. They can help you learn to manage your blood sugar level during your pregnancy.” Learning to manage blood sugar levels is a discipline that must be put into practice. However, for pregnant mothers with gestational diabetes, time is a crucial factor.