Diabetic ketoacidosis is considering as a major cause of fetal loss in diabetes pregnancy. Learn ketoacidosis symptoms, treatment and prevention.
Diabetes pregnant ketoacidosis
Ketones in the blood and urine are due to starvation, during starvation your body starts to break down fat for energy and ketones released as a byproduct into the urine.
You should test ketones if any of the following exists,
- It is normal during pregnancy, insulin-sensitivity drops by as much as 56% through 36 weeks of gestation. Hormonal changes during pregnancy contribute to this. This increase in insulin requirement progressively raises the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis, especially during second and third trimesters.
- The blood-glucose level is uncontrolled because of a lack of insulin, mostly due to infection. Due to lack of insulin, your body does not able to utilize glucose in the blood stream, and your body is in starvation. Your body starts to break down fat, releasing ketones as a byproduct called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA); a serious condition for both mother and baby. If your blood-glucose level rises exponentially, you should check your urine ketones. If ketones present, you should take extra insulin and increase fluid intake. If it persists for more than three hours, you should get emergency treatment.
- Generally, during pregnancy, you need extra calories to fulfill both, yours and your fetus requirement. If you are not gaining weight as required, then you have to check your urine ketones first in the morning. A positive ketone result shows you are in need of more calories, particularly at the bedtime.
Other than the above, you should need to test ketones once a week.
What are the common signs of diabetes ketoacidosis in pregnancy?
Symptoms of DKA are polyuria, polydipsia, nausea, vomit, abdominal pain, weakness, and weight loss. Signs of DKA are hyperventilation, ketotic breath, tachycardia, hypotension, dry mucous membranes, disorientation, and coma.
Home remedies for diabetic ketoacidosis during pregnancy.
Take proper treatment for DKA precipitating factor (e.g., infection), take extra insulin dose, intake excess fluids (to prevent dehydration), replace electrolytes (potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium). If ketones persist for more than three hours, you should immediately get emergency treatment.
What is the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis during pregnancy?
DKA is considering as the major cause of fetal loss in diabetic pregnancy. Strict blood-glucose monitoring and timely treatment is the effective tool to reduce the high perinatal mortality associated with diabetes ketoacidosis.
Test for ketones routinely
Ketones in the blood and urine are due to starvation, during starvation your body starts to break down fat for energy and ketones released as a byproduct into the urine.
You should test ketones if any of the following exists,
- It is normal during pregnancy, insulin-sensitivity drops by as much as 56% through 36 weeks of gestation. Hormonal changes during pregnancy contribute to this. This increase in insulin requirement progressively raises the incidence of diabetic ketoacidosis, especially during second and third trimesters.
- The blood-glucose level is uncontrolled because of a lack of insulin, mostly due to infection. Due to lack of insulin, your body does not able to utilize glucose in the blood stream, and your body is in starvation. Your body starts to break down fat, releasing ketones as a byproduct called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA); a serious condition for both mother and baby. If your blood-glucose level rises exponentially, you should check your urine ketones. If ketones present, you should take extra insulin and increase fluid intake. If it persists for more than three hours, you should get emergency treatment.
- Generally, during pregnancy, you need extra calories to fulfill both, yours and your fetus requirement. If you are not gaining weight as required, then you have to check your urine ketones first in the morning. A positive ketone result shows you are in need of more calories, particularly at the bedtime.
Other than the above, you should need to test ketones once a week.