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Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes Mellitus Type 3

Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people across the world and affects how the body produces insulin and regulates blood glucose levels. Besides two widely known types of diabetes, there is also a lesser known third type that only affects a very small portion of people during pregnancy. It is important to check for the signs and symptoms of type 3 diabetes if you are pregnant or could soon become pregnant.

  1. Time Frame

    • Type 3 diabetes, known officially in the medical field as gestational diabetes mellitus, is a rare form of diabetes that only afflicts women when they become pregnant. It typically only occurs in women who either have never had any form of diabetes in the past or who have never been tested for diabetes by a physician.

    Function

    • Gestational diabetes causes pregnant women to have much higher blood glucose levels than they would normally have, and also significantly raises their bodies' resistance to insulin products which makes the problem harder to treat. Type 3 diabetes affects less then 10 percent of all pregnant women worldwide.

    Features

    • Most pregnant women who have gestational diabetes do not display any symptoms at all. The symptoms that do occur are usually limited to yeast infections and the frequent need to urinate, although nausea has also been reported. There are several early signs that you may develop type 3 diabetes during a pregnancy, such as if you have a family history of type 2 diabetes, you are having a baby after the age of 35, or you are a smoker.

    Considerations

    • Type 3 diabetes does not always have demonstrable symptoms, so it is important to be screened for the disease during the course of your normal prenatal care. It can cause complications during the birthing process if it is not treated. It frequently leads to the pregnant woman developing type 2 diabetes after the baby is born. Children born to a mother with type 3 diabetes are also likely to develop their own blood glucose problems.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Treat type 3 diabetes by having a physician prescribe insulin that is injected through a syringe or administered through a pump that attaches to your stomach and is held in your pocket. Most doctors also recommend that people with type 3 diabetes regulate their eating habits and go through a mild exercise routine daily.

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