Why women eat sugar during pregnancy
The biggest problem with sugar intake during pregnancy is that it is socially acceptable, unlike drugs, alcohol or smoking. Many if not most women will quit drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine as soon as they find out they are pregnant due to social pressures and concern for their baby’s wellbeing. It is not only socially acceptable for pregnant women to eat sugar, but they are often encouraged by family members to eat more sugary treats and give in to their cravings.

Women also believe they are finally entitled to eat whatever they please as a benefit of being pregnant. While they may deny themselves Krispy Kremes and Haagen Daaz normally, during pregnancy anything goes because nobody will say anything and they plan on gaining weight anyway.

In addition to the lack of social restraint, pregnant women also experience powerful cravings for a variety of foods, and sugary treats are often on the list. The reason for these cravings is not a physiological need for sugar however, but a need for regular meals and snacks throughout the day. You have a much greater blood supply and extra hormones in your body during pregnancy and that means that you feel dips in your blood sugar more so than when you are not pregnant.

Skipping meals is a no-no for non-pregnant people because they will reach for the first candy bar or soda they can get their hands on a few hours later. This is even more true during pregnancy. It may feel like an overpowering craving but it is simply your body crying out for fuel. Regular, small meals are the answer, not a piece of chocolate cake.

Why Sugar is Worse During Pregnancy
Eating foods with refined sugar is bad for everyone. Even in healthy people, sugar causes weight gain, tooth decay, gum disease, rapid fluctuations in blood sugar that tax the body, reduced immunity, displaced minerals, elevated risk for cardiovascular disease and premature aging.

The sugar story gets worse for pregnant women. During pregnancy, sugar is rapidly absorbed into your blood and in order to regulate this sugar, your body requires larger amounts of insulin which is released by your pancreas. If you are eating excessive or even moderate amounts of sugar, your pancreas is going to have a difficult time keeping up. If your pancreas falls short of its job, then your blood sugar levels stay elevated. This is a problem even if you not develop full blown gestational diabetes (which is insulin intolerance).

Excessive sugar intake and elevated blood sugar levels will also cause you to gain excessive weight while pregnant. While you should gain a moderate amount of weight during pregnancy, it should be due to the weight of your fetus, increased blood volume and uterine contents, breast size and other pregnancy related weight, not just growing a fatter butt. When you are simply taking in more calories than you need, you are not the only one who gains excessive weight. Your baby may also grow too large.

Macrosomia is a condition where a baby grows excessively large due to a constantly high level of maternal blood sugar, generally due to gestational diabetes. This condition increases the risk of birth complications such as shoulder distocia and cesarean section. In addition, large babies of mothers with elevated blood sugar levels also have a higher risk of childhood obesity.

In addition to packing unnecessary pounds on yourself and complicating your pregnancy and birth with an overly large baby with a propensity for health problems, you will also run the additional risk of pregnancy related dental problems if you engage in excessive sugar consumption. Oral health during pregnancy is extremely important because toxins from periodontal disease have been proven to cross the placental barrier and reach your fetus, potentially causing both premature birth and birth defects. In fact, women with periodontal disease are seven times more likely to have a premature delivery than those with healthy gums.

In addition, women and society in general like to use the term “eating for two” which is actually nonsense. During your first trimester you do not require any extra calories and your body only needs an extra 300 calories during the second and third trimester, which should consist of high quality protein, vitamins and minerals because your body is literally building another human being. If you are not eating the proper nutrients to build a little human being’s bones, blood, fingernails and hair, then the necessary nutrients will be sucked out of your nutritional stores, putting you at risk for lifelong health problems, osteoporosis, postpartum depression and a number of other health conditions that are entirely avoidable by eating well before, during and after pregnancy.

In addition, it makes sense to get the sugar out of your house before your child is born. Children who regularly eat sugar experience raised adrenal levels, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, low immunity, crankiness, sleep troubles, tooth decay, obesity and weight problems and lifelong health problems and disease. Do you think it is easier to get the sugar out of your home before they are born or when they are 10 and addicted to Fruit Loops or other such nonsense?

“It doesn’t matter what disease we are talking about, whether we are talking about a common cold or about cardiovascular disease, or cancer or osteoporosis, the root is always going to be at the cellular and molecular level, and more often than not insulin is going to have its hand in it, if not totally controlling it.” Healingdaily.com

Forms of Sugar
Sugar is more than that white stuff you put in your coffee. Sugar is everywhere and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and it is imperative that you know the sneaky forms that sugar comes in if you plan on avoiding it. First and foremost, virtually anything in a bag, box or can has added sugar. There are a very few exceptions to that rule, such as a bag of frozen vegetables, but by and large, any pre-packaged, prepared food is going to have added sugar, period.

If you insist on buying packaged foods, read the labels. Anything with a label is bound to have sugar anyway, but read for yourself. Look for any ingredient ending in ‘ose’. Fructose, dextrose and glucose are all sugars. Bread has sugar. Pizza has sugar. Sodas, pastries, cakes, cookies, and other goodies all have sugar. Almost everything has some form of sugar in it.

In addition, other foods such as dairy and starches will convert to sugar in your body more rapidly than high protein foods and vegetables. It is important to become familiar with the glycemix index if you wish to lower your sugar intake.

Sugar Alternatives
Ideally you will simply forgo fast food, packaged foods, drinks and baked goods while pregnant for high quality protein and raw produce but it may be very unrealistic for you to change your eating habits cold turkey especially if your family and friends tend to indulge in the foods you are trying to avoid.

White sugar is processed with chemicals and all the good nutrients are stripped from it. It is nothing short of poison and you should not touch it. Whatever you do, do not under any circumstances, substitute chemical sweeteners. They are even worse than sugar. Nutrasweet, Aspartame, Sucralose and Splenda. Poison, poison, poison. They are man made, chemical toxins. Do not dream of touching them while you are pregnant if you value your health and the health of your unborn child. They are linked to a myriad of long term, health conditions. Don’t even think about it. If the package says, “low sugar” or “sugar free”, run don’t walk the other way.

If you would like to still have a little bit of sweetness in your life go ahead, in moderation, by choosing sweeteners made by mother nature. Enjoy these options in their raw, natural forms and keep in mind that they are still high on the glycemic index and can also contribute to tooth decay. Blackstrap molasses is exceptionally healthy and will add delicious maltiness to coffee and baked goods. Raw, organic honey with propolis is also considered an amazing health food and is an excellent sugar replacement. Stevia is another natural sugar alternative but has not been tested on pregnant women, so you may wish to err on the side of caution. Even sugar itself is loaded with nutrients if it is raw, organic and untouched. If is is just a sugar fix you crave, get some high quality organic, fair trade chocolate. It will load you up with antioxidants and potentially keep your stress level down if you are a real sugar addict.

Women quit smoking when they find out they are pregnant. Women stop drinking when they find out they are pregnant and women should also stop eating sugar when they find out they are pregnant if they value their health and the health of their beautiful, unborn child.

More resources about sugar dangers:
Healingdaily.com
Pregnancy: High-Normal Blood Sugar Risky - WebMD.com
Sugar in Urine During Pregnancy - Drspock.com
Dr. Greene recommends blood test for glucose, called HgA1C

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When pregnant, a woman is not only responsible for her body, but also for her growing fetus. For the period of her pregnancy, whatever she does is doubled. In this case, the primary concern is her health, and the health of her unborn child. She must take considerable care of herself. Should she get the flu, it may only affect her short term, but it could have a long term effect on her baby.

An illness that affects an estimated 4% of the total women pregnant in the United States is gestational diabetes. These are women who haven’t had diabetes before pregnancy, but have high glucose levels while they are pregnant.

It is uncertain what causes gestational diabetes, and most pediatricians believe it involves the placenta. The hormones in the placenta are responsible for the baby’s development. However, should these hormones become blocked, the mothers body is deprived of the injected insulin it needs. This is scientifically called “insulin resistance.” This hormonal blockage makes it difficult for the mothers body to use the insulin that is being injected in her.

Why would insulin need to be injected? As a result of gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs when the mothers body is no longer able to make the insulin that is required for her pregnancy. This shortage of insulin prevents glucose from leaving the blood. Glucose must leave the blood in order to convert to the necessary amount of energy required by the mother and her baby. Should the glucose build up in the blood to a high level, hyperglycemia will occur.

What are the side effects for the baby when hyperglycemia occurs? It depends on when the mother has the ailment. If she is in her late trimester, when the baby’s body has already been formed, she can consider herself and her baby very lucky. At this late stage, it is unlikely that the baby will suffer any kind of birth defect whatsoever.

However, should she have gestational diabetes when the pregnancy is less than six months old, the baby may very well have problems when it comes to body formation. This is because the mothers pancreas must function twice as hard in order to produce the needed insulin for her and the baby. When glucose gets stuck in the blood, then other nutrients are also stuck. Extra blood glucose now seeps into the placenta. The effects of gestational diabetes will now cause the baby to have high blood glucose levels, and the baby will slowly become fat.

The results of this added fat are referred to as “Macrosomia,” or what is known to be an overly large baby. As a result of the additional insulin being created by the baby’s pancreas, a newborn will tend to have a really low blood glucose level at birth. This condition puts the baby at a higher risk when it comes to potential breathing problems. These babies are prone to obesity, and their mothers will most likely be affected by type 2 diabetes.

Treatment for this condition must begin immediately after the problem is discovered. Successful treatment for gestational diabetes will result in a lowering of blood glucose down to normal levels.

Treatment consists of a special diet containing just the right amount of sugar, along with a regular exercise program whenever possible. Daily testing of blood glucose, and regular insulin injections are also necessary.

Soon-to-be-mothers must do everything they can to maintain good health for their own sake, and the sake of their child.

About the author:
Carl DiNello is an Article Author whose articles are featured on websites covering the most popular topics on the internet. To read more on this topic, please visit Diabetes Symptoms & Risks! You may republish this article on your website, or e-zine so long as none of the content, or author information has been edited or changed in any way, and all links are left active and unchanged.

Sheryl’s comment:
Gestational diabetes could possibly be yet another money maker fabricated by the medical community against pregnant women. Please read the article on this Gestational Diabetes at www.unhinderedliving.com. The author feels (and I agree) that the biggest problem with large babies is that women in America are forced to deliver their babies on their backs or semi-sitting rather than in the natural squatting position which allows even large babies to be born easily by opening the pelvis and propelling the baby out naturally.

Buy the Book: Managing Your Gestational Diabetes

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A miscarriage is the natural end of pregnancy when the developing embryo or fetus is less than 20 weeks old and incapable of surviving outside the womb. Miscarriages that occur less than six weeks after your last menstrual period are referred to as an ‘early pregnancy loss’, whereas miscarriages that occur after this point are termed ‘clinical spontaneous abortion’. If you are less than six weeks pregnant, you may not even realize you have been so, and may mistake the miscarriage for a heavy menstrual bleed.

More than three-quarters of all miscarriages occur in the first twelve weeks (also known as the first trimester) of your pregnancy. The causes of miscarriage in this first trimester are mostly because of chromosomal abnormalities. As expectant parents, you need to understand that such abnormalities occur at random and are unlikely to occur in future pregnancies. Sometimes a miscarriage in the first trimester can be due to a deficiency of the hormone progesterone. In future pregnancies, your doctor will prescribe a progesterone supplement to ensure your pregnancy proceeds as normal.

Miscarriages in the second trimester are generally related to problems with your uterus, placenta or cervix. Malformations in the umbilical cord can also cause a clinical spontaneous abortion.

While the large proportion of miscarriages are beyond your control, there are several risk factors for miscarriage. Among them are:

1. If you are pregnant with twins, there is a greater chance of early pregnancy loss.
2. If you are a diabetic who does not control your diabetes, there is a considerably heightened risk of miscarriage.
3. Cigarette smoking, whether by you or your partner, increases the chance that your baby may not make it to term.
4. Physical trauma, such as falls or blows, especially to your abdomen may also result in a miscarriage.
5. Excessive caffeine or alcohol intake, obesity and exposure to certain chemicals will also enhance the likelihood of miscarriage.

The most obvious sign of miscarriage is bleeding. If you notice unusual bleeding during your pregnancy, you will need to talk to your doctor, who may perform an ultrasound scan to visualize your developing baby. In many cases, when a miscarriage occurs, your doctor may wish to undertake a procedure known as a curette. A curette ensures that all the baby’s tissue is removed from your uterus, thereby preventing infection and scarring. After a miscarriage, your doctor will want to investigate why the miscarriage occurred and may recommend that you wait several menstrual cycles before attempting to become pregnant again.

Although the physical effects are usually mild, the emotional pain that you and your partner may experience can be quite severe. There is a natural tendency to blame yourself for somehow causing the miscarriage, although in many cases you will have had no control over or effect upon the health of your developing baby.

Your feelings of grief and loss may be very strong, so do not be afraid to seek counseling to help you and your partner through this difficult time. In many instances, there will be no reason for you not to become pregnant in the future, and every likelihood that the pregnancy will proceed smoothly.

About the author:
Juzaily Ramli and his wife are the owners of Pregnancy Website. Find out why miscarriage is a living nightmare amongst the expecting parents at miscarriage website.

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With advances in technology, even if there was a problem with the prenatal development of your baby, doctors are able to respond sooner. This is all made possible due to technologies such as ultrasound. It is a common misconception that pregnancy testing takes place only once, at the beginning of your pregnancy. Nothing could be further from the truth - from ultrasounds to blood tests, you will be bombarded with test after test up until even the very morning of your delivery date.

1. Primary Testing
Quite a lot of blood work is performed initially for various reasons including whether you are Rh negative or positive, your immunity to viruses such as rubella, and whether you have a more serious condition such as hepatitis B, or HIV. At this initial visit you will also receive a physical and internal examination to check your capability for giving birth, and if necessary, a PAP smear.

2. Ultrasound
Ultrasound, unfortunately, is not merely a tool that allows the mother to see her child before it is born, or to determine the sex of the child prior to childbirth. The real purpose of an ultrasound is to detect fetal development problems in advance or to pinpoint potential delivery problems such as placenta previa. Don’t worry, however, this is actually a routine procedure carried out at 18 weeks for all pregnant women.

Ultrasounds can:

• Determine early the gender of the baby
• Measure the placenta
• Check embryonic fluid composition
• Ensure the umbilical cord is not causing any complications
• Ensure there is no internal bleeding

3. Gestational Diabetes
Testing for gestational diabetes is carried out on all pregnant women during their second trimester. This primarily involves fasting until the test, then drinking a special glucose drink, waiting a specified period of time and then checking the blood sugar level with a simple finger prick blood test. If the blood sugar levels are off the charts then you will have to go for additional blood testing at a later date.

4. Amniocentesis
You are only eligible for this level of testing if you are over 35 years of age or if you have a medical history in your family such as Down’s syndrome. Usually carried out between 14 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, there is a slight risk of miscarriage as a result of this test so it is not compulsory.

5. Chorionic Villus Sampling
The most feared and invasive of all pregnancy tests, this is an exhausting test for a woman to endure. Carried out between weeks 10 and 13 of pregnancy. This test is only carried out when there is an absolutely urgent need to determine the health status of the baby.

About the author:
For more great pregnancy related articles and resources check out great-pregnancy.info

Sheryl’s comment:
Please do not assume that just because these tests are routine that they are safe. They are certainly not natural. If you love your child with your whole heart and there is no way you would terminate your pregnancy despite Down’s syndrome or some other condition, then refuse the CVS or the amniocentisis (unless you are really concerned about your OBGYN’s Mercedes payment).

Check out the Center for Unhindered Living for excellent information on prenatal testing and instructions on how to do your own.

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