Gestational Diabetes during Pregnancy: The Facts

Gestational diabetes during pregnancy is quite common. Diabetes is a medical condition characterized by high blood sugar levels. This happens because there is a lack of insulin in the body. Conversely, the body does not respond to insulin in the correct manner. Insulin is one hormone that enables the body to break glucose present in the blood. This glucose is subsequently used for energy.

When a woman is pregnant, numerous hormones hamper the function of insulin. This ensures that the developing baby receives sufficient sugar. In order to cope with these developments, the body needs to increase its production of insulin. Gestational diabetes during pregnancy manifests itself when the body fails to meet the demands of extra insulin.

Gestational diabetes commences in pregnancy’s second half. It subsides after the birth of the baby. In some instances, gestational diabetes does not subside with the birth of the baby. In such cases, the mother might already have type 1 diabetes, which was worsened during pregnancy. Type 2 diabetes is the other form of diabetes. Diabetes is a lifelong condition.

Gestational diabetes during pregnancy does not generally show any symptoms. Some pregnant women may show symptoms related to high blood glucose:

• Increase in thirst
• Frequent urination
• Tiredness and fatigue

These symptoms are common during pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes during pregnancy does not pose major health risks. However, diabetes that is poorly controlled during pregnancy may complicate matters. Some of the complications are listed below:

• Pre-eclampsia is a condition that causes an increase in blood pressure
• Untimely labor
• Increase in amount of amniotic fluid, which is the fluid that circulated around the unborn baby.

Women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy are more likely to have a caesarean delivery. This also increases the risk of contracting gestational diabetes during future pregnancies. It also increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes in later life.

Women with high blood sugar levels are more likely to give birth to babies who are abnormally large. This is because the body has to manufacture insulin in larger quantities to utilize the blood sugar. This causes additional storage of fat and tissue. This can complicate delivery. For instance, the chances of shoulder dystocia increase. This condition is characterized by the shoulders getting obstructed behind the pelvic bone. The head is already born. This can cause serious damage to the nerves in the neck of the baby. The baby’s arms and shoulders may also get fractured. In some exceptional cases, brain damage may occur.