Contents:
- Medical Video: Gestational Diabetes | Nucleus Health
- Get to know diabetes in pregnant women
- Is insulin injection when pregnant safe for babies?
- What form of insulin is recommended for pregnant women?
Medical Video: Gestational Diabetes | Nucleus Health
When pregnant women experience diabetes, doctors usually recommend controlling blood sugar levels through injecting insulin. However, you might be wondering about the effects of insulin during pregnancy for the baby conceived. Does the use of insulin during pregnancy have a certain effect on pregnant women and their babies? Check out the answer below.
Get to know diabetes in pregnant women
Before studying the effects of insulin on pregnant women, you must first understand what diabetes is in pregnant women. Diabetes in pregnant women is divided in two, namely pregestational diabetes and gestational diabetes.
Pregestational diabetes occurs when a woman has been detected as having diabetes before becoming pregnant. Whereas gestational diabetes, which is more common, occurs when a woman who is pregnant her blood sugar level rises to become diabetes (even though she did not have a history of diabetes before pregnancy).
If the blood sugar level of pregnant women is not controlled, the development of the fetus in the womb will be disrupted. Pregnant women with uncontrolled diabetes will also be more susceptible to various dangerous complications of pregnancy.
Is insulin injection when pregnant safe for babies?
Insulin is a hormone that functions to deliver sugar into cells to be used as a source of energy for the body. Lack or absence of the hormone insulin in the body will make sugar accumulate in the blood until the levels are too high. This is what is called diabetes.
Therefore, people who have diabetes usually get insulin from a doctor, including pregnant women. Then is insulin dangerous for babies?
In commemoration of the 2017 World Diabetes Day, dr. Roy Panusunan Sibarani, SpPD-KEMD, endocrine specialist and member of PERSADIA (Indonesian Diabetes Association), spoke up about insulin and its effects on pregnant women and the fetus.
When met in educational activities themed "Women and Diabetes - our right to a healthy future ” initiated by Novo Nordisk Indonesia in South Jakarta, Dr. Roy Sibarani stated that the use of insulin has been proven to be very safe and recommended for pregnant women with diabetes and their womb babies.
"Giving insulin in gestational diabetes is adjusted again with the consideration of doctors and the condition of pregnant women. The dose depends on the need, whether there is a lot of insulin deficiency or not, "said Dr. Roy Sibarani.
Furthermore, Dr. Roy Sibarani also explained that if his insulin deficiency is not so severe, giving insulin with a light dose is enough. However, it must be accompanied by regular exercise and a healthy diet during pregnancy.
In essence, you don't need to worry about having to inject insulin while pregnant. Because, not getting insulin treatment during pregnancy with diabetes is actually far more risky for the mother and her baby.
What form of insulin is recommended for pregnant women?
Currently, insulin treatment for gestational diabetes is available in the form of pills and injections, such as pen injections that are easy to use by lay people. All types of preparations are declared safe for pregnant women. However, the American Diabetic Association notes a number of studies indicate the possibility of insulin from the pill entering the placenta so that the baby's body can be absorbed. However, the effect on the baby is definitely not known.
Therefore, discuss all possibilities with the doctor who handles you. If you have certain concerns or feel more secure with insulin in certain preparations, tell the obstetrician and internal medicine doctor.
