All women with chronic
conditions, such as high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, obesity, epilepsy,
lupus or depression, should seek support from their family doctor at America Home Health when they plan to
become pregnant. Whether it is family doctors, internists (doctors who diagnose
and follow a large proportion of women with chronic diseases in hospitals) or
other specialists who follow people with chronic diseases, the risks to the
woman and the baby must be considered in addition to the possibility of the
disease complicating the course of pregnancy, de-compensating the disease and,
in particular, the possible risks of the medication.
During pregnancy and
breastfeeding there are medications known to be safe (i.e., that does not harm
the baby) and may even be essential, but there are also medications that should
not be taken. In these situations, doctors should be able to clarify and help
women decide, or refer them to colleagues who do. There are cases in which
women should be counseled to wait for better control of the disease, others in
which the longer the delay, the worse the prognosis, and even very rare cases
in which pregnancy or breastfeeding should be even contraindicated. Situations
should be well discussed and clarified with the woman and family, and if
necessary with the advice of several doctors.
Diabetes Mellitus is a disorder
of glucose metabolism (sugar) that progressively affects the whole body. There
are several types of Diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes and Gestational
Diabetes are the most common. Globally and especially in developed countries,
the number of patients with Diabetes is increasing, reaching almost 10 percent
of adults.
Type 1 Diabetes is usually
diagnosed in childhood or youth and requires medication with insulin. Type 2
Diabetes is usually diagnosed in adults, often associated with being overweight
and should be managed with general measures, especially diet and exercise, and
often evolves to the need for medication with tablets and / or insulin.
With adequate health care there
are more and more girls with Type 1 Diabetes reaching adulthood and having
children. Due to the growing number of older pregnant women and overweight
pregnant women, there are also more and more pregnant women with type 2
diabetes. Women with both types of this disease are at greater risk of
pregnancy complications (pregnancy risk).
To plan - even before pregnancy
and with medical support, adequate diet and therapeutics, the blood glucose
values should be optimized.
