Paying tribute to mothers, health experts advised mothers to take special care of their health as a healthy mother forms a healthy society. Diabetes expert said that mothers were more prone to gestational diabetes (temporary diabetes associated with pregnancy) in second pregnancy.
They were addressing a special seminar held to mark Mothers’ Day here on Saturday. Mothers’ Day is being celebrated around the world today. Shifa International Hospital (SIH) organized a special seminar “mother’s health matters” with special focus on mothers with diabetes.
Hundreds of mothers, with a large number of diabetic patients, attended the seminar. Floral bouquets were presented to each mother as a guest of honor.
Addressing the seminar Dr. Usama Ishtiaq, Consultant Endocrinologist SIH, said diabetes was a chronic disease and more than seven million people in Pakistan were suffering from diabetes. He said need to urinate several times, feeling severe thirst, reducing weight, and fatigue and weakness are important symptoms of diabetes.
Dr Usama said that gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that some women get during pregnancy. Around 18 percent expectant mothers develop this condition, making it one of the most common health problems of pregnancy.
Dr Usama observed that it is a temporary disorder that usually disappears after child birth. Those mothers who do not suffer with gestational diabetes in first pregnancy are more likely to get this in their second pregnancy, he informed.
He warned to take balanced diet as gynecologists recommend during pregnancy because eating oily, deep fried and heavy food may result in excessive sugar that accumulates in fetus as extra fat and may risk fetus’ health. He warned that those mothers who suffered gestational diabetes during pregnancy were at risk of becoming permanent diabetic patient afterward.
For women with diabetes who wanted to become mother, Dr Usama said that they must control their diabetes before pregnancy. “Those with controlled diabetes need to know what side effects their medication cause during pregnancy,” he advised.
It was imperative to maintain a very effective control of diabetes during pregnancy as uncontrolled diabetes may cause miscarriage, genetic disorders in the child, pregnancy and delivery complications and infants’ death soon after birth.
