Diabetes is a metabolic health condition that affects the way your body uses glucose for energy. If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it produces properly.

This can lead to high blood sugar levels that, if left untreated, can cause serious complications, such as damage to your nerves, blood vessels, and organs.

Although diabetes can affect people of all ages, it is especially risky for pregnant women as it can have serious effects on the baby’s health. Diabetes during pregnancy, also called gestational diabetes, affects about 7% of all pregnancies in the US.

It is important to monitor and manage diabetes during pregnancy to prevent complications for both the mother and baby.

What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that develops during pregnancy. It occurs when your body cannot produce enough insulin to meet the extra needs of your growing baby.

As a result, the sugar in your blood stays at a high level, which can cause complications for both you and your developing baby. Gestational diabetes typically occurs in the middle or late stages of pregnancy and often goes away after the baby is born.

Why Does Gestational Diabetes Occur?

Gestational diabetes occurs when your body cannot produce enough insulin to meet the extra needs of your growing baby.

As the baby grows, the placenta produces high levels of hormones that can interfere with insulin function, making it harder to move glucose into your cells. When this happens, glucose builds up in your blood and causes high blood sugar levels, which can lead to gestational diabetes.

What are the Risks to Your Baby?

Gestational diabetes can increase the risk of complications for your baby, including:.

Macrosomia

Macrosomia is a condition in which a baby is born significantly larger than average, weighing more than 8 pounds 13 ounces (4,000 grams). This is caused by the excess sugar in the mother’s blood, which the baby receives through the placenta.

Delivering a large baby can result in difficult birth, as well as injuries to the baby during labor and delivery.

Hypoglycemia

Babies of mothers with gestational diabetes may be born with low blood sugar levels because their pancreas is producing too much insulin due to the high amount of glucose in the mother’s blood.

This condition can cause seizures or other complications for the baby if not treated promptly.

Jaundice

Jaundice is a condition that causes yellowing of the skin and eyes.

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are at a higher risk of developing jaundice because the high blood sugar levels can interfere with the effectiveness of the liver in processing bilirubin.

Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Respiratory distress syndrome occurs when a baby’s lungs are not fully developed, and they have difficulty breathing.

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are at a higher risk of developing respiratory distress because of high insulin levels which can lead to a delay in the production of surfactant, a substance that helps to keep the lungs inflated.

Preterm Birth

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are more likely to be born prematurely, before 37 weeks gestation. This can cause a range of complications, including respiratory distress syndrome, jaundice, and infections.

What are the Risks to the Mother?

In addition to the risks to the baby, gestational diabetes can also increase the risk of complications for the mother, including:.

Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a serious condition that can affect pregnant women, causing high blood pressure and damage to the liver and kidneys. Women with gestational diabetes are at a higher risk of developing preeclampsia.

Type 2 Diabetes

Women who have had gestational diabetes are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. In fact, research suggests that up to 50% of women with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes within the next 10 years.

Caesarean Section

Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are often larger than average and may require a caesarean section delivery to reduce the risk of injury during delivery.

Conclusion

Gestational diabetes is a serious condition that can have consequences for both mother and baby. However, with proper management, many of these risks can be minimized.

If you have gestational diabetes, it is important to work closely with your healthcare team to manage your condition effectively and to prevent complications for both you and your baby.