How many injections of insulin should pregnant women take per day

Many people may think that diabetes mainly occurs in middle-aged and elderly people. In fact, pregnant women can also develop diabetes during pregnancy. This type of diabetes is called gestational diabetes. Like common diabetes, gestational diabetes also requires the use of insulin to control treatment, but many pregnant women do not know how to inject insulin. So, how many injections of insulin should pregnant women take a day?

The impact of gestational diabetes on pregnant women and fetuses cannot be ignored. Gestational diabetes is mostly type 2 diabetes. Once diagnosed, oral hypoglycemic drugs or insulin injections are needed. Considering the effects of pregnancy medications on the fetus, doctors recommend that pregnant women inject insulin every day. Since insulin is an exogenous hormone, its composition is basically similar to the insulin secreted by human pancreatic islet cells. Insulin injection generally does not affect the fetus. Generally speaking, when you start taking insulin, you should take 3 to 4 times a day. The maximum dose should be taken at breakfast, less at dinner, and the minimum dose should be taken at lunch. If an additional injection is needed before bedtime, the dose is the smallest.

Insulin needs to be injected continuously every day. If treatment is not adhered to, stopping medication may sometimes cause repeated abnormal fluctuations in blood sugar. The consequence of high blood sugar is fetal overweight and the formation of giant fetus, which also poses potential health hazards to future growth and development. Therefore, pregnant women with gestational diabetes must persist in insulin resistance until the end of delivery. After delivery, venous blood sugar should be tested multiple times within a short period of time. If the pregnant woman's blood sugar returns to normal, insulin injection can be stopped.

What should I pay attention to when taking insulin for diabetes?

1. What does insulin look like?

Insulin is a liquid that is like water but is not meant to be drunk. Insulin is drawn up with a syringe or injected under the skin through a pre-designed syringe, usually several times a day.

2. Check the name of the medicine

Be sure to check the name of the insulin when you get the medicine to make sure you are taking the right medicine.

3. There are two types of packaging for insulin injections

Bottled, requires syringe withdrawal. Do not change the size of needles and syringes easily. Please read the instructions carefully to learn how to draw a certain amount of insulin into the syringe and inject it into the body.

The cartridge type is now more commonly used and is placed in an adjustable dose injection pen for use. Make sure you understand the supplies of insulin you are using, such as needles, syringes, and pens.

4. Don’t change it at will

Do not change brands or types of insulin at will.

5. Don’t adjust it at will

Even if you do not change the brand and type of insulin, you cannot adjust the dosage and frequency of insulin at will. Take insulin injections according to what the doctor tells you, including which type of insulin to use, how much to take at a time, and how often to take the injections. The dosage cannot be adjusted at will. If you take too much, you may suffer from hypoglycemia; if you take too little, your blood sugar level cannot be controlled and will fluctuate.

6. Do not stop taking the medicine at will

Insulin helps control blood sugar, but it does not cure diabetes. Therefore, even if you feel better, you should continue to take the medication and cannot stop taking it without the doctor's consent.

7. Do not reuse needles

Do not reuse needles or syringes; when using an insulin pen, change the needle each time. Place used needles and syringes in a sharps recycling box. Do not share needles, syringes, cartridges, or insulin pens.

8. Do not mix at will

Do not add other types of insulin without a doctor's instructions. May interact with each other and cause side effects.