I can not believe that I am already 28 weeks pregnant! It won’t be too much longer until our little one arrives.

For today’s visit, I had to have testing to see if I have gestational diabetes.  For this test, you will be asked to drink an incredibly sweet drink.  You’ll have to wait an hour, and then blood will be drawn to see how well your body is processing the sugar.

This is my 6th test as this is my 6th child.  I have discovered that the fruit punch flavor actually tastes the best.  My least favorite flavor was the orange flavor.  I’ve also discovered that the liquid tastes better if it is chilled.

It’s important to follow all of your doctor’s instructions to the letter when preparing for this test.  My doctor had told me to only drink water this morning and to eat only protein for breakfast.  I did as I was told to do, but another woman didn’t follow the instructions.  They actually refused to do the test on her and told her she had to re-schedule.

While I was waiting for time to pass, the nurse handed me a hospital pre-admission paper which he was going to have the hospital process.  That way, he explained, I wouldn’t have to worry about paperwork when I was in labor.  As I was filling out the paperwork, I got a little bit scared when I realized that I am REALLY having a baby.Â

I had to call my husband and cry.  My husband is very practical and was clearly dumbfounded: hadn’t I known for 6 months that I was having a kid?  Why was I so frantic at this moment?  Maybe it was all the sugar in that drink I said.

After taking several vials of blood to run the diabetes test, the midwife measured my stomach and listened for our son’s heartbeat. She asked about any complications I might be experiencing and weighed me.  My next appointment is in 3 weeks.

I’m curious to find out what other moms to be think about the diabetes test.  What was your favorite drink flavor?  Did you like your drink chilled or room temperature?

Isn’t it a bummer? Sweets and sweets every where but not a piece to eat? There are many people out there with diabetes and have therefore special dietary requirements. Unfortunately, these include little children.

I have 2 young children who are fortunately not diabetic and tend towards moderation when it comes to sweets. Still, we do get into problems in terms of sweets control on special occasions like Halloween. Mommies of children with diabetes, how do you do it? You are heroes, no doubt about that.

Here are a few tips which might be useful for you during festive occasions like this:

Halloween Tips for Parents & Kids. This one’s really specific for today, 31 October. And the message from the American Diabetic Association is clear: there is no reason why diabetic children can’t have fun on Halloween.

Sugar and sweeteners. The British Diabetic Association (DBA) gives an overview of what makes your food sweet and their nutritional value and their safety.

Celebrations and eating out. This resource gives you tips for parties (including children’s parties!) and celebrations. In addition, this book by the DBA might come in very handy: Festive Foods and Easy Entertaining. ISBN 1-899288-70-8.

How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. This resource from the US FDA is really handy – and it is for free. It can be downloaded in pdf and comes with a video. Just so you know what you are putting in the cake.

Happy Halloween, everyone.

Once again we learn that our ultra-clean environments are not good for the kids. Researchers at Yale and the University of Chicago have found that common human bacteria protect against diabetes.

Many parents are familiar with the ‘hygiene hypothesis’. That is, reduced exposure to bacteria, viruses and parasites lowers our children’s immune systems. Therefore they are more susceptible to asthma, allergies, etc.

Since Type-1 diabetes is also an immune system disorder (the immune system attacks the insulin-producing pancreas), and because it is on the rise in may parts of the world but nearly unknown in the developing world, it has been a matter of intense debate and research. And now, a study published in the scientific journal Nature has linked Type-1 diabetes with the too-clean playroom.

Laboratory mice who lived in a germ-free environment developed severe diabetes. But those mice who were exposed to the types of bacteria commonly found in human intestines did not.

This research does not define how one thing leads to the other. But it does show a strong link between them. The article also mentions that only 10% of people with a genetic tendency to diabetes actually develop it. The rest may be environmental.

I am not one to respond to every new research study because they are so often overturned, but this one is different. For one, it supports other established theories. And two, it makes sense. Since my father died of complications from diabetes when he was 55, I am very interested in, and concerned about the disease, for myself and my children. I have never been overweight, but I know that isn’t the only risk factor.

My son happens to be almost obsessive about washing his hands. I’m sure it does him good, but I’ve actually struggled to get him to do it less. Now I have one more reason to tell him to stop. It’s also a little more justification for not vacuuming everyday?

Sorry to bring some not-so-good news today.

In a previous post, I touched on the alarming increase in the incidence pregestational diabetes (not be confused with gestational diabetes) – pre-existing diabetes mellitus among women of childbearing age before pregnancy. This study I am reviewing here investigated the link between birth defects and pregestational diabetes mellitus (PGDM) in mommies.

The study examined data on 13,030 babies born with congenital defects and 4,895 babies without birth defects babies born from 1997 to 2003. They then looked into association between the mothers’ health conditions and 39 categories of birth defects, which included cardiovascular, neurological, and musculoskeletal defects.

Analysis of the large dataset showed that PGDM was significantly associated about 50% of all birth defect categories, both cardiac and noncardiac birth defects. Furthermore, more defects were associated with PGDM than gestational diabetes.

This doesn’t mean to say that women with PGDM shouldn’t get pregnant. There are many women out there with diabetes who have perfectly healthy babies. It is, however, strongly recommended that women with pre-existing f?diabetes should talk to their doctors before getting pregnant so that preventive measures such as blood sugar level control and vitamin intake be implemented.

I also hope that health insurance companies wouldn’t use studies such as these as their basis to deny coverage. Medical studies are conducted with the aim of improving healthcare and quality of life of patients and shouldn’t be used as weapons against the patients they are supposed to benefit.

Source:

Am J Obstet Gynecol, July 2008

The number of pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes has significantly increased in the last seven years especially among teenagers. No, I am not referring to gestational or pregnancy diabetes. In this case, it`s the type 2 diabetes which is related to obesity that is most commonly observed.
Here are some statistics to think about:

? 1999 – the incidence of diabetes is 8 per 1,000 pregnancies

? 2005 ? the incidence increased to 18 per 1,000 pregnancies

? The highest increase is among 13- to 19-year-olds mothers

This is based on the study of 175,000 women of different ethnic group who gave birth in Kaiser Hospitals in Southern California. Diabetes before pregnancy is more common among African Americans, Asians and Hispanics than whites.

Diabetes in pregnant women increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or babies with birth defects. Thus, diabetic women should plan their pregnancy to avoid these problems. Doctors encourage diabetic women to seek medical help at least three months before they plan to have a baby so they can increase their folic acid intake and control their blood sugar levels. Overweight women are also advised to lose weight before getting pregnant. Diabetic women can have healthy babies if they plan ahead and consult their doctors prior to pregnancy.

Source:

WebMD, 29 April 2008

Lawrence, J.M. et al Diabetes Care, May 2008

Researchers have found that pregnant women with gum disease may have a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes than those with healthy gums. A study showed that the 8 percent of women who developed gestational diabetes had higher levels of gum-disease-causing bacteria and inflammation.

While gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy and usually disappears once the baby is born, it can raise the risk of a woman developing type 2 diabetes later on. It can also lead to a larger baby, which could in turn require a woman to have a c-section.

The new findings, published in the Journal of Dental Research, suggest that gum disease may be a treatable risk factor for gestational diabetes.Researchers speculate that as gum disease can cause an inflammatory response throughout the body, it is possible that it may affect any pregnancy-related problems with blood sugar.

83 percent of the 265 women studied were Hispanic, a group with a higher-than-average risk of gestational diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Those who developed gestational diabetes were much more likely to have been heavier before becoming pregnant, have had diabetes during a past pregnancy, and have higher levels of a marker for inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

Researchers say that future studies on other high risk groups, such as Asians and Native Americans, are important.This reaffirms the fact that visiting your dentist before and during pregnancy is extremely important. Treatment of gum disease during pregnancy is said to be safe.

SOURCE: Journal of Dental Research, April 2008.

An article in the British Medical Journal has urged people to be careful of the sweetener, sorbitol. Research in Berlin Medical School on two people with severe diarrhea indicated that it was caused by an excessive intake of sorbitol, when this sweetener was removed from their diet the symptoms disappeared.

Sorbitol is also known as E420 and is generally found in sweets, chewing gum and some cereals. It is found naturally in some fruits. Many of the foods that are labeled sugar free and are therefore eaten because people think that they are healthy, will contain sorbitol.

There are also suggestions that excess sorbitol may be a factor in diabetic retinopathy and neuropathy, due to the fact that sorbitol is processed faster in diabetics.

Sorbitol is also used in toothpaste and cosmetics, but there is no indication that this should be a problem.

Doctors Warn Over Eating Too Much Sorbitol

Sorbitol: a hazard for diabetics? Nutrition Health Review