Iron Levels and Gestational Diabetes

Many women run the risk of developing gestational diabetes during their pregnancy. Doctors usually advise a standard healthy routine to stave off the condition, from balanced nutrition to regular exercise.

But thanks to this new study from Diabetologia , the doctors may also start suggesting that moms-to-be watch their iron levels.

The Iron Balancing Act

Iron is a particularly tricky nutrient in living organisms – both having too much and too little can lead to health complications. For pregnant women, too little iron has long been a concern, as many moms-to-be experience iron deficiency.

Yet according to Cuilin Zhang from Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), “Higher maternal iron stores may play a role in the development of gestational diabetes starting as early as the first trimester.”


The Study

Zhang and colleague Dr Shristi Rawal looked at 107 cases of gestational diabetes along with 214 control subjects, reviewing several biomarkers to determine both the subjects' iron levels and their bodies' iron needs. They measured these levels four times throughout the study twice before a gestational diabetes diagnosis (if the subject developed the condition) and twice after.

Of the women with iron levels in the top 25 percent of study subjects, researchers were astonished to find an increased risk for gestational diabetes - a risk up to 2.5 times higher.

How Does This Change Prenatal Treatment?

Dr. Rawal says that this new study “raise[s] potential concerns about the recommendation of routine iron supplementation among pregnant women who already have sufficient iron.” While iron is still a critical nutrient in the body, particularly for the health of a developing baby, Rawal and colleagues want to encourage doctors to adjust their recommendations for each woman.


Dr. Robert Courgi, an endocrinologist New York's Southside Hospital, puts it simply: "you can't globally treat every pregnant woman with iron."


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...