Gestational Diabetes Risks
Pregnancy is often the time when many new moms take a conscious decision to make lifestyle changes that is in the best interest of both mother and baby. This becomes especially necessary if the mother has gestational diabetes so they can prevent developing complications after the baby is born. The prevalence of gestational diabetes is as high as 9.2% so this is not a very uncommon issue among pregnant woman. The cause for gestational diabetes occurring in pregnant women is not very clear.
Gestational diabetes mostly occurs midway through the second trimester, after the baby is formed, but as it is growing. Gestational diabetes disappears after the birth of the baby. Once the mother has had gestational diabetes, her chances happen to be 2 in 3 that it will return in future pregnancies.
A possible reason could be because the pregnant woman’s body needs insulin to use glucose as fuel to function. The placenta produces many different types of hormones but these could also block the action of insulin in a mother’s body. Once this happens the cells become resistant to the insulin that the mother makes leading to a rise in blood sugar. Gestational Diabetes can be risky for both the mother and the baby. Let’s look at some of the problems;
Risk for the Baby
Higher Birth Weight – Large sized babies could become wedged in the birth canal, have birth injuries or lead to a C-section birth.
Preterm Birth – The rise in blood sugar levels can increase the women’s risk of early labor and delivery much before the due date. If the baby is large an early delivery may also be recommended.
Breathing difficulties – Babies born early may experience respiratory distress syndrome which is a condition that makes breathing difficult.
Hypoglycemia – Such babies can show low sugar levels shortly after birth. Prompt feedings and sometimes an intravenous glucose solution can return the baby’s blood sugar level to normal thereby avoiding seizures.
Future health issues – Babies of mothers who have gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.
Stillbirth – Untreated gestational diabetes can result in a baby’s death either before or shortly after birth.
Risk for Mother
Preeclampsia – Gestational diabetes raises the mother’s risk of high blood pressure and the symptoms of this can threaten the lives of both mother and baby.
C-section Possibility – The mother is likely to have a C-section if they have gestational diabetes.
Future diabetes – The mother is more likely to get gestational diabetes again during a future pregnancy with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes as she gets older.
Some women have a greater risk of gestational diabetes. The risk factors for gestational diabetes can include factors like the mother being overweight and obese, when there is a serious lack of physical activity, if the mother has had previous gestational diabetes or prediabetes, if she suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome, if there is diabetes in an immediate family member or if she has previously delivered a rather heavy baby like say 4.1 kg or so. When treated in a timely manner gestational diabetes can be managed well without leading to complications.
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