BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – DOCTORS at the JNF Hospital have found that Diabetes is being better controlled among pregnant women than those who are not.
Gynaecologist and Obstetrician, Dr. Derek Jeffers made that disclosure during a recent SKNVibes interview, claiming they have found that much better control is taking place during pregnancy.
He alluded that to the fact that mothers are concerned not only about their health, but also that of the foetuses they are carrying.
“What you would find is that they are more likely to follow the doctor’s orders because they know that if they might be feeling okay, complications to the foetus may go undetected.”
St. Kitts and Nevis has a growing health problem with regards to Diabetes and other Non-communicable Diseases.
It was during an interview with Public Relations Officer of the St. Kitts Diabetes Association, Dr. Reginald O’Loughin, when he revealed that medical practitioners are seeing new cases of Diabetes being diagnosed on a weekly basis.
That comes against the backdrop of there being over 1,000 registered persons living with the ailment, according to the Diabetes Association.
On Sunday (Jul. 2), the Association held a meeting at the Old Boys School on Victoria Road and spoke to the topic of Diabetes and Pregnancy.
Dr. Jeffers, who is a popular medical practitioner, gave those in attendance - both men and women - an insight into the challenges doctors face when it comes to pregnancy and diabetes, including the complications and the impact it could have on the development of the unborn child.
He explained to this media house that during the year, on average, they have found about 10 to 20 patients developing Gestational Diabetes.
In his explanation of the difference between Pre-existing and Gestational Diabetes, Dr. Jeffers said: “One of the fundamental differences between Gestational Diabetes and Pre-existing Diabetes is that Gestational you develop it when you become pregnant and within 24 to 48 hours after it goes away. With the Pre-existing, they have it before, but they are the ones who have the most problems during pregnancy because they can develop abnormalities of the foetus during pregnancy.”
The doctor noted that he wants women to understand that they could take control of their diabetes and that they could also take control of it during pregnancy.
“One of the most reasons that they might develop diabetes during pregnancy is related to obesity. So, if women are overweight and they know they want to become pregnant, they should start making an effort from now to lose some weight, because that would lead to them significantly reducing their chances of developing diabetes during pregnancy.”
Speaking about complications, Dr. Jeffers revealed that babies are going to be bigger than usual and that would create difficulty during delivery, owing to the mother being diabetic.
He stated that after babies are born they are prone to seizures; at risk for low blood sugar; at risk for jaundice; and that the mother would also be at risk for caesarean section and infections.
“There are a lot of problems that can be related to Diabetes during pregnancy,” he posited.
Efforts are being made to combat the problem from a governmental level.
