Diabetes and pregnancy facts

It is estimated that between two and three percent of pregnant women are affected by gestational diabetes.

How is diabetes in pregnancy caused?

What causes a pregnant woman to contract gestational diabetes is still not known. The hormones that are produced when pregnancy occurs may in some ways prevent the functioning of insulin. If the mother’s body cannot produce sufficient insulin to overcome this, the diabetes in pregnancy can develop.

Who is most at risk?

Like normal diabetes, some women are more prone to develop gestational diabetes than others. The following factors are considered to put women at risk of developing gestational diabetes:

Are over 35 years old
Are obese
Have previously had a stillbirth in the latter stages of pregnancy
Have already had a large baby

Also, any person is more at risk if they have a family history of type 2 diabetes.

What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?

One of the problems of gestational diabetes is that it does not manifest itself with clear symptoms. The symptoms common to high blood sugar (thirst, frequent urination, hunger) sometimes occur, but all of them are common in the latter stages of pregnancy.

What could gestational diabetes do to me and my child?

During pregnancy, the presence of high blood sugar levels may cause the foetus to grow larger than it usually would. This can make delivery more complicated and in some instances may provoke the need for a caesarean section.

Following the birth, the baby may be suffering from hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) because of the pancreas’ compensation for the extra blood sugar created by the mother. The baby, immediately following the birth, may continue to create extra insulin even though the mother’s sugar levels are no longer present. This may be corrected by a glucose solution drip.

Unfortunately, the complications do not end there. Newborn babies from mothers with gestational diabetes are at greater risk of developing jaundice which will usually fade after a few weeks.

The baby also suffers an increased risk of congenital problems from birth. These include heart defects and respiratory problems (such as respiratory distress syndrome.) There is also a slightly increased risk of stillbirth, or the baby dying newborn.

However, if glucose levels are identified and strictly managed the risk of death is minimal.

The baby will also be more at risk of developing type 2, and being overweight in later life.

Most women who encounter gestational diabetes, and keep their blood sugar levels within a safe range, should be able to deliver their babies without complications. However, women who suffer from gestational diabetes are more at risk of developing it again and also of developing type 2 diabetes at a later stage of life.

How can I reduce my chances of contracting gestational diabetes?

To lessen the risk of contracting gestational diabetes, women pre-pregnancy should opt for healthy lifestyle choices. These include eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly and appropriately and making certain to maintain a normal body weight.