Risks Of A High Sugar Diet During Pregnancy

A diet high in sugar can have health complications for anyone, but especially during pregnancy. Complications can be much greater and the risk of developing diseases in the future increases.

Pregnancy is a phase that is accompanied by many changes. The body is preparing to create a new life and this includes transformations throughout the body.

What Happens During Pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a vital stage. Here, various growth processes, metabolic adaptation and preparation for life outside the womb take place.

It is a situation where the mother has changes in the concentration of glucose and plasma lipids, as well as changes in hormones, such as insulin. In the same way, there is also a certain resistance to this hormone.

In fact, this is done to ensure that glucose reaches the brain of the mother and fetus. It also directs glucose to the mammary gland and reduces its use by the other organs.

Pregnancy and sugar metabolism

In some women , carbohydrate metabolism changes during pregnancy. This change causes high fasting blood sugar levels, above normal.

If fasting blood sugar and insulin levels are normal or even low, blood glucose rises above normal levels after carbohydrate consumption. These changes are more pronounced in the third trimester of pregnancy.

During pregnancy, as we mentioned, the body becomes more resistant to insulin. In this way, the body sometimes needs more of this hormone to metabolize the sugar in food. If you don’t have enough or no insulin, glucose builds up in your blood.

If your body does not regulate glucose properly during pregnancy, changes can occur that in many cases seriously affect the development of the fetus. They can also predispose you to diabetes in adulthood.

A diet high in sugar during pregnancy and diabetes

In addition to what we mentioned above, a mother can go on a diet high in sugar during pregnancy, which can change this situation even more. Then gestational diabetes can occur. This is where diabetes is first diagnosed during pregnancy.

Usually it is a transient condition in which a pregnant woman cannot make enough insulin or becomes resistant to it, leading to higher blood sugar levels.

gestational diabetes

Pregnant women with this condition have a higher risk of suffering from certain conditions. Some of these conditions include:

• Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy.
• Diseases associated with diabetes.

• Delivery by Caesarean section.

Several studies also show that 50% of patients with gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.

What should you eat during pregnancy?

The first thing to keep in mind is that diet is key to preventing gestational diabetes. According to the World Health Organization, a healthy diet during pregnancy contains sufficient energy, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

To achieve this, you need to make sure you consume a certain number of foods. The following foods are important to consume.

• Fruits and vegetables
• Lean red meat
• Fish
• legumes
• nuts
• Whole grains

Also, remember that in the case of diabetes, treatment consists of daily blood sugar monitoring, a healthy diet and exercise. If the blood sugar level is too high, the doctor will prescribe the necessary medicines.

A diet high in sugar during pregnancy is not recommended

Nutritional education and advice is a commonly used strategy to improve the nutritional status of women during pregnancy. It also helps prevent future complications. The strategy then mainly focuses on the following elements:

• To improve the quality of the mother’s diet, taking into account the amount of food consumed.
• Promote adequate weight gain through an adequate and balanced diet.

So it’s important to follow the advice of doctors and nutritionists about following a healthy, low-sugar diet. Similarly, daily physical activity is essential during pregnancy.