With the assistance of a difficult surgery, Mumbai-based Dr. Rajiv Kovil helped deliver the baby of a mother with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM)—the ideal Mother's Day present.
The inability of the body to manufacture insulin is the defining feature of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), a chronic illness. As a result, external insulin treatment is required to control blood sugar levels. Achieving ideal control throughout pregnancy was especially more important for Kainaz Wadia, who was using insulin to manage her type 1 diabetes. Given her slightly elevated HbA1c and postprandial glucose, she was advised that the insulin might not provide the kind of control needed for a type 1 pregnancy.
Because of the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy, the need for insulin often increases, making strict glucose management essential for the mother's and the unborn child's health. High blood sugar levels can cause problems like pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure with proteinuria), macrosomia (big birth weight), and neonatal hypoglycemia (low blood sugar in neonates). Dr. Kovil, a diabetologist and co-founder of Zandra Healthcare and Rang De Neela Initiative, provided her with medical treatment.
Kainaz's experience is a prime example of how technology and willpower may work together to manage type 1 diabetes during pregnancy. She accepted the value of traditional insulin therapy while utilizing technology to enhance her diabetes control. It was her decision to use a premium insulin pump (sensor-enhanced insulin).
But what precisely is involved in an insulin pump that is sensor-augmented? An insulin pump is a tiny, computerized device that continually delivers insulin through a catheter inserted under the skin, simulating the action of a healthy pancreas. With the use of this technology, insulin dosage can be precisely adjusted, timing and dosage alterations are flexible, and insulin delivery can be customized to meet the demands of each patient.
An insulin pump with an added sensor automatically modifies insulin supply based on your needs, making it simpler to stabilize blood sugar levels. It has SmartGuard technology, an advanced automation level for diabetes management. It releases more insulin if blood glucose levels are moving upward. It releases less insulin or none at all if they are trending low. These days, it can even bring down elevated blood sugar levels when carb counts are off.
For Kainaz, the insulin pump and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) via a sensor completely changed the way she approached her treatment. Real-time glucose measurements from CGM allow for proactive modifications to insulin delivery based on patterns and trends, improving blood sugar control.
Pregnancy and type 1 diabetes have a complicated and notable association. Though T1DM is a chronic illness, efficient blood sugar management becomes more difficult during pregnancy. Due to hormonal changes and increased insulin resistance during pregnancy, women with type 1 diabetes may have more difficulty controlling their blood sugar levels. In these situations, controlling blood sugar levels becomes much more difficult, highlighting the significance of cutting-edge technologies such as insulin pumps.
Kainaz was able to attain amazing results because she was committed to working out, followed a strict diet, and made use of technology. Pregnancy makes it notoriously difficult to keep blood sugar levels within the prescribed range, or time in range. However, Kainaz often performed better than expected, achieving a time in range of over 80–85%.
A medical gadget called the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGMS) monitors blood sugar levels in real time both during the day and at night. Time in Range, or TIR, is a crucial metric in the interpretation of CGMS data. It shows the proportion of time that patients spend inside a target range of blood glucose levels that has been set by healthcare providers. This measure, which shows how effectively blood sugar levels are maintained over time, provides important information about how well diabetes care is working. Readers can gain a thorough grasp of insulin pumps, CGM, and TIR by reading the clear and simple information offered regarding these vital diabetes care tools.
In the end, Kainaz's experience emphasizes how important technology is, along with a person's willpower, to helping women with type 1 diabetes have successful pregnancies. People can handle the challenges of pregnancy with more confidence and ensure the health and well-being of both mother and child by adopting advancements such as CGM and insulin pumps.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Priyanka Pandey/MSM)
