They say that of all the rights a woman has, the best is to give birth and become a mother. Despite its numerous discomforts – having morning sickness, mood swings, swollen feet, and the feeling of carrying two sacks of rice day in and day out – I know a lot of women who’d go through it, all over again, to experience the feeling of being whole after giving birth. (more…)
Mothers who develop high blood sugar levels first detected during pregnancy are diagnosed as having Gestational Diabetes Mellitus or GDM. Unfortunately, we Filipinos are among the people at high risk for developing this disease. With timely detection, proper nutrition, close monitoring, and the use of insulin when necessary, the outcome of pregnancies complicated with GDM is just about the same as normal pregnancies. But after one gives birth, what happens next? Are there still existing health issues a mother should worry about – both for her and her new beloved bundle? Should she be afraid to breastfeed? Would future babies be at risk? Pray tell, would there ever be normalcy in life after GDM? (more…)
Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common medical conditions occurring during pregnancy. Diabetes in pregnancy may be either pre-existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus, or, more commonly, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). GDM is defined as carbohydrate intolerance first diagnosed during pregnancy. Based on this definition, GDM may actually represent a mix of women who have abnormal glucose tolerance in pregnancy or undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Nevertheless, GDM and type 2 diabetes share the problems of impaired insulin secretion and insulin resistance. (more…)
Penny Ovejera, a 34 year-old full time mother and wife, hung on to this particular saying during her struggle with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). It had not been an easy journey for her, but with her deep faith in God and the loving support of her family, she was able to overcome it all. (more…)
If diabetes were a gender issue, then women should fight for gender equality. Why? Because women are at a losing end when it comes to diabetes and its many complications compared to men. For one, diabetes causes more complications in women than in men, some of which are unique to women. Being diabetic makes a woman prone to complications in pregnancy, reproduction, and the heart. Uncontrolled blood sugars in diabetic women may also cause increased yeast infections, bladder infections, vaginal dryness, and inability to reach orgasm during sexual intercourse. (more…)
Motherhood is often illustrated by images of a woman cuddling an infant or holding a child. But motherhood actually starts with conception while the baby is inside the womb. It is the mother’s duty to nurture the infant by taking care of her body throughout pregnancy. Sadly though, there are some diseases that are brought about by the changes that occur during pregnancy and these can affect both maternal and fetal well-being. (more…)
