If you are pregnant, you are likely aware that there are many different conditions that you may have to face during your gestation. However, did you know that some of these conditions may actually require that you change your diet to better provide for your baby? 

If you have been diagnosed with any of the following conditions, you may want to talk to your doctor about how to better control your diet to offer your baby the necessary nutrients. Some conditions that may require special diets while pregnant include but are not limited to the following. 

Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes can sometimes come about due to hormones that are secreted by the placenta. These placental hormones can cause you to have high blood sugar, and will basically give you diabetes for the duration of your pregnancy. Symptoms of gestational diabetes include fatigue, extreme thirst, blurred vision, and maybe even frequent infections. Depending on your blood sugar levels, you may need to test your blood levels throughout the day, and you may even require insulin injections. To offset your gestational diabetes, your doctor will likely recommend that you decrease the amount of sugar that you ingest each day. 

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a condition that can be extremely serious, and usually has symptoms like hypertension, blurred vision, and protein in the urine. If you develop preeclampsia during your pregnancy, you may be put on bedrest or have your baby delivered early to protect your health. Your doctor may want you to avoid foods that are high in sodium, and you may need to take a baby aspirin throughout your pregnancy. 

Obesity

While there are no approved diets for losing weight while pregnant, you may need to watch what you eat to avoid gaining too much while during your gestation. Depending on how much you weigh when you conceive, you may want to talk to your doctor about how much you should gain with your new pregnancy. With morbidly obese individuals, some physicians say that they should gain no more than 10–15 lbs while pregnant. Talk to your doctor about what your restrictions (if any) should be. 

In conclusion, your doctor may be able to help you understand exactly what you need to do with your diet to feel your best and have a healthy baby. It may take some effort to figure out, but if you can feel well while you work to bring a baby into the world, it will all be worth it. For more information, contact local obstetric care clinics.