What is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that is diagnosed while a woman is pregnant. It is typically tested at 24-28 weeks of gestation with an oral glucose tolerance test. During pregnancy, the placenta releases a cascade of hormones that reduce a mother’s sensitivity to insulin, which means it is more difficult for glucose (blood sugar) to get into her cells. As a result, her pancreas must release more insulin to allow blood sugar to enter the cells around her body. Gestational diabetes occurs when the mother’s pancreas is unable to release enough insulin to get all the blood glucose into her cells, which increases blood glucose levels. If not, properly managed this can result in risks to both the mother and baby. For the mother, risks include developing preeclampsia or high blood pressure during pregnancy, excessive gestational weight gain and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes down the track or gestational diabetes in future pregnancies. Gestational diabetes can increase the baby's birth weight, and risk of birth complications, cause low blood sugar and increase the risk of the child developing type 2 diabetes mellitus down the track.
How Does Exercise Help with Gestational Diabetes?
Lifestyle interventions diet and exercise can help in preventing gestational diabetes and managing blood sugar levels and reducing risk in those with gestational diabetes. Exercise increases the number of pathways available to get blood glucose into cells. It can therefore:
· Help to reduce blood sugar levels.
· Improves insulin sensitivity for 24-48 hours after exercise.
· Reduce blood glucose post-meal consumption.
· Reduce fasting blood glucose levels.
· Reduce gestational weight gain.
· Improve mood and reduce fatigue levels.
· Improve fitness and strength for birth and postpartum.
What Type of Exercise is Best for Gestational Diabetes?
Both aerobic and strength training have been shown to help manage gestational diabetes. Choosing exercises you enjoy and can stick to is the most important thing. However, it is recommended people with gestational diabetes engage in:
Aerobic exercise for 30 minutes 5 days a week. This could include activities such as walking or cycling completed at a moderate intensity which is the intensity you can talk but not sing while completing.
Strengthening exercises completed 2-3 non-consecutive days a week. This could include 8-12 different strength exercises which target major muscles all over the body using body weight, free weights, resistance bands or machine weights.
While pregnant daily pelvic floor strengthening exercises are also important.
Precautions:
Regularly monitor your blood glucose levels before and after exercise.
Avoid contact or high-impact exercise when pregnant.
Avoid lying on your back after the 1st trimester.
Avoid exercises where you are likely may lose your balance or fall over.
How Can Prescribe Help?
Exercise has been found to be very safe for women with gestational diabetes, but it is recommended to seek guidance from an Accredited Exercise Physiologist (AEP) when starting with an exercise prescription. The timing of exercise needs to be considered depending on blood glucose spikes throughout the day and if taking insulin medications. This should be discussed with your diabetes educator or AEP. Our AEPs will be able to educate you on how to exercise safely with gestational diabetes and tailor a program around your health concerns and goals.
CONTACT US
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Tel. (02) 4259 0384 126 Church St, Wollongong, NSW, 2500
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Post Created By Emma - Accredited Exercise Physiologist.
Prescribe Exercise are your local exercise physiology specialists. We provide exercise rehabilitation to assist manage and prevent injury and chronic disease in the Wollongong and Illawarra area. Our programs will assist to achieve personal excellence, we do this by taking the time to educate and empower you with the highest quality care and exercise best practice available. We genuinely care for our clients and want to make a difference in your life, we will help you to get better and stay better so that you can regain control of your health once again.