Using Insulin To Manage Gestational Diabetes
Using Insulin To Manage Gestational DiabetesIf healthy food choices and physical activity don’t keep your blood glucose in a healthy range when you havegestational diabetes, your healthcare provider may prescribe insulin. It may help you to understand how insulinworks.Diabetes affects the way your body uses the food you eat. Most of the food you eat changes to glucose, a formof sugar. Glucose enters the bloodstream causing your blood glucose level to rise.As your blood sugar rises, the pancreas releases insulin. Insulin works like a key. It opens the cells and letsglucose in. The glucose is used for energy now or stored for later use.In any pregnancy, as a baby grows and develops, more and more insulin is needed to move glucose out of thebloodstream and into cells. But when you have gestational diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough extrainsulin. Or your cells resist the insulin. This is called insulin resistance.That’s why your diabetes care team may prescribe insulin. Insulin injections will give your body the extra insulinyou need. Insulin injections will help move glucose out of your bloodstream and into your cells for energy.If you do take insulin, take it exactly as prescribed. Insulin will not hurt your baby. Your diabetes care team willteach you how and when to inject insulin. When you take insulin, you are at risk for hypoglycemia, or low bloodglucose. Talk to your diabetes care team about hypoglycemia and how to treat it.Even if you take insulin, continue to make healthy food choices, be active, and check your blood sugar level.You’ll see how well all the parts of your care plan are working together for you and your baby.This program is for informational purposes only. Publisher disclaims all guarantees regarding the accuracy, completeness,or suitability of this video for medical decision making. For all health related issues please contact your healthcare provider.© The Wellness Network
© The Wellness Network
