During pregnancy, you take extra precautionary steps to keep you and your baby healthy, but even the best intentions may not help you sidestep gestational diabetes.
It happens to about 10% of all pregnant women in the United States, and the consequences can be severe.
At Nile Women’s Health Care, our experienced team specializes in managing diabetes during pregnancy. We believe that information and education are key to protecting your health, so we’ve compiled this guide to explain the potential health concerns associated with gestational diabetes.
Uncontrolled high blood sugar during pregnancy affects your health and your delivery in various ways.
If you have gestational diabetes, you’re more likely to need a C-section. Whether due to fetal size or complications with delivery, this method of birth carries its own risks, including longer recovery times, infections, and blood clots.
Gestational diabetes often leads to elevated blood pressure, which can develop into preeclampsia. This serious condition can lead to high blood pressure in the mother and organ damage in the baby.
If you have preeclampsia, you may need to deliver early to prevent life-threatening complications.
Pregnant women with gestational diabetes are more susceptible to urinary tract infections because glucose in the urine creates a rich environment for bacterial growth.
Babies take the brunt of the health problems associated with gestational diabetes. Here’s a look at the complications they may face.
Uncontrolled gestational diabetes, especially when coupled with pre-existing diabetes, can increase the chances of congenital abnormalities. Elevated blood sugar levels early in pregnancy, when crucial organ development occurs, can result in issues affecting the baby’s brain, spine, or heart.
Gestational diabetes raises the chances of premature labor and delivery. This may be due to complications such as excessive amniotic fluid (polyhydramnios) or the baby growing too large. Premature birth comes with its own set of health challenges for newborns.
Gestational diabetes increases the risk of polyhydramnios, a condition where there’s too much amniotic fluid surrounding the baby, which can lead to complications such as preterm labor, difficulty breathing for the mother, or even umbilical cord prolapse during delivery.
High blood sugar levels can result in macrosomia, where the baby grows excessively large (over nine pounds). While cuddly and cute, larger babies often face difficulties during delivery, which could lead to birth injuries or require interventions like C-sections.
If you have gestational diabetes, your baby may experience low blood sugar levels after birth. This condition, known as neonatal hypoglycemia, occurs when the baby’s body produces extra insulin to manage high maternal blood sugar. Left untreated, severe hypoglycemia can lead to seizures.
Gestational diabetes can lead to polycythemia, or an overproduction of red blood cells in the baby. This condition thickens the blood, increasing the risk of complications like jaundice and other circulatory issues.
Babies exposed to elevated maternal blood glucose levels are more likely to develop jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes caused by excess bilirubin in the blood. While treatable in most cases, severe jaundice can require hospitalization or intensive phototherapy.
Gestational diabetes is particularly challenging for premature babies. If your baby’s lungs are underdeveloped, they may have respiratory distress syndrome, making it difficult for them to breathe effectively after birth.
Moms with gestational diabetes may deliver babies who develop hypocalcemia, or low calcium levels in their blood. This can cause symptoms like irritability, muscle spasms, and seizures if left untreated.
Although rare, poorly managed gestational diabetes can increase the risk of stillbirth. Proper monitoring of blood sugar levels and collaboration with your healthcare provider can minimize this risk and lead to successful outcomes.
At Nile Women’s Health Care, we guide you through every step of your pregnancy. With personalized care plans, frequent check-ups, and expert advice, you’re never alone in this journey.
Early diagnosis and consistent management of gestational diabetes are critical. Here’s how you can help protect yourself and your baby:
Call Nile Women’s Health Care in Roswell or Johns Creek, Georgia, today. Together, we’ll help you achieve a safe and healthy pregnancy.
