Check out this infographic to learn how much Calcium women need throughout the different stages of their lives as well as some good sources of Calcium at this link.

Weekly Health Tips provided by Virginia Women’s Center

While a healthy diet is always the best way to get the vitamins and minerals you need, prenatal vitamins are recommended if you are planning pregnancy or if you are currently pregnant. Your health care provider might also recommend that you continue taking prenatal vitamins after your baby has been born, especially if you are breastfeeding. Prenatal vitamins can help fill in any gaps in vitamins and minerals, but they are not meant to substitute the need for you to eat a healthy diet.

Learn more about the important components of prenatal vitamins, when to start taking them as well as some of the side effects that may occur by clicking here.

Weekly Health Tips provided by Virginia Women’s Center

Pelvic organ prolapse affects approximately half of the women who have had children by vaginal delivery. Other factors that can contribute to prolapse include advancing age, obesity, hysterectomy, chronic straining and abnormalities of the connective tissue.

Learn more: http://www.virginiawomenscenter.com/services-urogynecology-pelvic-prolapse-repair.html

When diabetes starts during pregnancy, it is called gestational diabetes. Women with diabetes (whether or not it is classified as gestational diabetes) need special care during pregnancy.

Diabetes is a condition that prevents the body from using food properly. The body receives its major source of energy from a sugar known as glucose. Insulin, a hormone manufactured in the pancreas, must be available for glucose to be used in the tissues. During pregnancy, some of the hormones produced by the placenta have a blocking effect on insulin. Gestational diabetes occurs when the pancreas produces its maximum amount of insulin, yet that is not enough to overcome the effect of the placenta’s hormones.

What are the risk factors for gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is more common in women who

• are overweight or obese
• are older than 25
• have had gestational diabetes in a prior pregnancy
• are African American, American Indian, Asian American, Hispanic, Latina or Pacific Islander
• have a family history of diabetes
• have previously given birth to an infant that weighed more than 10 pounds
• had excess amniotic fluid in a prior pregnancy
• had an unexplained stillbirth or miscarriage in a prior pregnancy

How is gestational diabetes diagnosed?

At Virginia Women’s Center, we screen for gestational diabetes at 28 weeks of pregnancy. You will have to drink a syrupy glucose solution and then have your blood sugar level measured one hour later. If your blood sugar level is higher than normal, you will have to do a follow-up glucose test. The follow-up test involves drinking another glucose solution and having your blood sugar level checked every hour for a three hour period. If at least two of the blood sugar readings are higher than normal, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

What if I am diagnosed with gestational diabetes?

If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you will work closely with our nurse practitioners to create an individualized food plan. You will not have to give up foods you love, but you may have to limit them or eat them with other foods so that your blood sugar isn’t negatively affected. During pregnancy, you will have to manage your blood sugar so that it stays in the optimal range and reduces your risk for complications. Usually, this can be done through diet and exercise. You will also work closely with our physicians and may need additional testing to monitor the baby’s health and reduce the risk of complications throughout your pregnancy.

For most women, once the baby is delivered, gestational diabetes will go away. You will be tested again at your postpartum visit. If it does not go away, it is reclassified almost always as type II diabetes. Women who had gestational diabetes are at high risk of having diabetes later in life. Choosing to pursue a healthy lifestyle by eating nutritiously and exercising regularly may help prevent or postpone diabetes.

Additional Resources:

• Frequently Asked Questions on Gestational Diabetes
• Healthy Weight Management

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