Co-authored by Keelyn Ross
Pregnancy involves ensuring the baby is developing in a healthy environment. Oxygen is a primary resource necessary to make a healthy baby possible. If oxygen is cut off from the baby, they are at risk for any number of health complications. Sleep apnea, or loss of breath during sleep, is caused by underdeveloped anatomy or excess soft tissue in the throat. If sleep apnea is left unchecked, then by the end of the second trimester the mother will increase her susceptibility to develop gestational diabetes mellitus and/or preeclampsia. When an expecting mother finds herself in this position, one natural and effective treatment option involves continuous airway pressure mask (C-PAP) therapy. C-PAP therapy will instantly provide oxygen to the mother and her baby as well as reduce other disordered symptoms such as sleep apnea, gestational diabetes and/or preeclampsia.
Consider C-PAP Therapy if You Have:
1.Difficulty breathing
2.Difficulty sleeping
3.Frequent urination
4.Severe headaches
5.Excessive daytime sleepiness
6.Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet
7.Nausea
8.Shortness of breath, caused by fluid in your lungs
Gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia are two common disorders that are reported to develop around the end of the second trimester. Gestational diabetes mellitus is the result of the body's inability to produce insulin. Low insulin production causes a buildup up of sugar in the blood, setting course for the disorder to develop into type II diabetes. Preeclampsia also involves an imbalance in the body system. This disease involves high blood pressure and abnormally high levels of protein in the urine. If an expectant mother is diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus or preeclampsia, she most likely had sleep apnea for months if not years prior to receiving word for the aforementioned disorders. The undesired disorders not only create health complications for the mother, but they place her intrauterine baby at high risk for birth defects or a stillbirth. Consequently, poor sleep due to oxygen loss; impair the immune system, only making the symptoms worse. C-PAP therapy can serve as an effective and medication-free solution.
C-PAP therapy is not always considered as a first solution to treat gestational diabetes mellitus and/or preeclampsia. There are a variety of contributing factors as to why a C-PAP might be considered a last resort or simply dismissed all together. One reason involves practitioners not linking the diseases to an oxygen deficiency problem. Medication is often the go-to solution, which simply covers up the problem instead of addressing the root cause. Furthermore, medication may have a number of unpleasant side effects for the mother and possibly her intrauterine baby -- but more importantly, the baby is still not receiving oxygen. Another reason why C-PAP therapy is brushed aside involves aesthetics. It is a bulky mask worn on the face at night while the mother sleeps. Most women do not realize the severity of the situation and are distracted with concerns related to vanity.
C-PAP is considered the gold standard in treating sleep apnea. It is designed to mechanistically provide pressurized air into an obstructed airway. C-PAP therapy not only supplies the body its number one life-sustaining nutrient, it also allows the mother to gain restorative sleep. Deep sleep is important for the body systems to repair themselves from the waking hours. C-PAP therapy also decreases gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia symptoms because the body is finally able to gain the strength needed to dissolve the undesired imbalances in the body, making it easier for the mother to get back onto a track of wellbeing. Above all, C-PAP therapy is one of the quickest ways to get the baby oxygen. It is fast and effective and a wonderful complement to other options such as oral appliance therapy. Adequate oxygen flow in the body during pregnancy creates a healthier growing environment for the baby.
As with any disorder, daily continuations of harmful symptoms are bound to jeopardize the health of the body. Pregnant women are highly susceptible to sleep apnea during pregnancy causing a direct and negative impact her growing child. Often, gestational diabetes and preeclampsia emerge in a body that is low on oxygen. The intrauterine baby is solely dependent on the wellness of the mother. Any disorders in the mother increase likelihood to harm her child in one form or another. C-PAP therapy is a quick, logical, safe and medication-free option that will supply oxygen back into the body.
Additional References
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