Diabetes Info

Pregnancy and Diabetes: What You Need to Know

November 29th, 2007 | by admin |

It has been estimated that out of every 100 women who are pregnant 3-8 women will suffer from  gestational diabetes. In most cases, the diabetes will disappear on having the baby. However the risk of having diabetes in future is still very much there.
Type 1 and 2 Diabetes vs. Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a condition that is developed once a woman is pregnant. This symptom vanishes once the baby is born. However, the risk of procuring Type 2 diabetes is increased manifold. Type 1 and 2 diabetes conditions are formed in women who are not yet pregnant. If not curtailed or given treatment, Type 1 and 2 diabetes can cause birth defects to develop in the child to be born.

Side effects of gestational diabetes in pregnancy

When a woman has gestational diabetes it can result in defects in the baby such as an abnormally large head size, as well as other disorders. It can even complicate the process of labor and delivery for the mother and the child. A mother can control the formation of gestational diabetes just through proper diet and adequate exercise. However, in more serious cases the condition might necessitate insulin injections too. Many times excess sugar levels in the mother’s blood can result in the baby growing larger in size. This can cause difficulty in normal delivery and sometimes a caesarean operation might be needed.

Difficulty in diagnosis

The reason why gestational diabetes is so difficult to detect in pregnant mothers is because of the lack of definite symptoms. Most pregnant women suffer from the usual symptoms like thirstiness, urination and hunger pangs but these are symptoms typical of pregnancy as well. Hence detection becomes even more difficult.

How it affects the baby

• Gestational diabetes can result in a lower level of sugar in the baby’s body, a condition known as hypoglycaemia. The pancreas in the baby’s body continues to produce more insulin to respond to the high blood sugar amount in the mother.
• Sometimes jaundice can develop in the baby although this isn’t serious and disappears within a few weeks.
• Sometimes congenital defects like defects in the heart etc. may develop in the baby. At other times, the chances of giving birth to a stillborn baby are also increased.

Treatment and monitoring

It is essential to constantly monitor the condition of gestational diabetes in the pregnant mother. There are testing kits which help monitor the glucose levels in the mother’s blood. These can be used at home itself. During the first trimester of the pregnancy regular visits to the obstetrician is a must. Congenital defects will need to be monitored with an ultrasound during the second trimester,and during the last three months of pregnancy extra care needs to be taken.