Gestational Diabetes-Related Pregnancy Risks
Despite having gestational diabetes, women can still give birth to healthy babies, if there are blood glucose control, healthy diet, appropriate obstetrical care, a healthy weight and sufficient exercise. All these certainly help to reduce gestational diabetes risks.
It’s essential to have blood glucose levels under control since the higher the blood glucose levels, the higher the risk of complications.
While already existing diabetes can cause complications during pregnancies, gestational diabetes rarely bring defects during birth. Such defects as well as deformities are normally linked to earlier blood glucose levels of the pregnant mother while the fetus is undergoing important development throughout the initial eight weeks of pregnancy. Gestational diabetes usually occur much later, about 20 or more weeks into the pregnancy.
The following are Gestational Diabetes Risks:
- Preeclampsia: Due to a fast, unexpected rise in blood pressure in the mother, there is the possibility of serious problems the mother as well as the fetus.
- Big Baby Syndrome (Macrosomia): When both insulin and sugar levels are too high for the fetus, increased growth and extra fat can lead to the risk for C-sections, fetal death, birth trauma, and neonatal complications.
- Hypoglycemia : High glucose levels in the mother can multiply the risk of the baby for low blood sugar(hypoglycemia) at birth.
- Jaundice : Due to having in the blood more than usual the amount of bilirubin, the baby may suffer from a yellow tint on the skin as well as the white areas of the eyes.
- Respiratory Distress Syndrome : An illness connected to breathing at the time of birth.
- Calcium as well as magnesium deficiency : Such a deficiency can result in the baby getting spasm in the extremities of the limbs, or painful tightening and uncontrolled movements of the muscles.
- Diabetes and Obesity later in life : Children of mothers with gestational diabetes have greater possibilities of becoming obese and getting diabetes as they grow up even though they may not be macrosomic at the time of their birth.
Gestational Diabetes -Video Guide
Reducing Gestational Diabetes-Related Pregnancy Risks
The way to reduce your gestational diabetes (GDM) risks and complications is by making sure that your blood glucose levels are always under control. (see Gestational Diabetes Complications)
Gestational diabetes can only be diagnosed from the 24th week up to the 28th week of pregnancy with an OGTT (Oral glucose tolerance test) at the time when a regular screening for gestational diabetes is made. Good managing of blood glucose levels at the time when gestational diabetes was first diagnosed can lessen the possibility of complications. Even for mild gestational diabetes, treatment can be beneficial to the mother as well as the baby.
Ways to Lessen Risks as well as Complications of Gestational Diabetes.
1 – Learn from your medical practitioner about the right blood sugar targets for you. The usual targets are:
- Waking up from sleep (fasting blood glucose level): Lower than 95 mg/dL.
- An hour after a meal: Lower than 140 mg/dL.
- Two hours after a meal: Lower than 120 mg/dL
Check the blood glucose levels many times each day. If blood glucose levels are too high during nighttime, the women may be required to monitor the levels throughout the night.
2 – Check your urine for ketones if your health-care team enquired into the matter.
3 – Seek your health-care team’s recommendations on exercise and diet.
(Sometimes diet and exercise, without medication, are sufficient treatment).
4 – Follow your medical practitioner’s directions on medicines, including insulin.
5 – All appointments concerning the progress of the fetus are important. Monitoring the fetus includes a biophysical profile as well as a non-stress check. You will be told to do kick counts.
6 – Get post-delivery care.
Let your health-care team be aware of any problem you may have with both diabetes and pregnancy.