A healthy pregnancy is a time of great joy and anticipation. Nine months seems like a long time, but it flies by quickly when you’re shopping for the baby, decorating the nursery, and having baby showers or receptions. If you have diabetes, you’ll have one more health condition to monitor during your pregnancy, but with proper management, you can expect to deliver a healthy baby.
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a medical condition that occurs when your body fails to regulate the amount of sugar in your bloodstream due to a lack of insulin. Diabetes is the most prevalent medical condition during pregnancy present in more than 3% of all live births. When you are pregnant the are two main categories of diabetes; pre-gestational diabetes – diabetes before you are pregnant & gestational diabetes – diabetes after you’re pregnant.
What is Pre-Gestational Diabetes?
This type of diabetes begins before you became pregnant. Pre-gestational diabetes needs to be addressed & treated promptly, in order to safeguard the baby.
What is Gestational Diabetes?
This type of diabetes only develops during your pregnancy. Similar to regular diabetes – gestational diabetes causes high blood sugar that poses a threat to your baby’s health.
To screen for gestational diabetes, your ob/gyn will order a glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks of your pregnancy. If the test results are abnormal, you will be put on a diet at first, and then you may be put on medicine. You may need additional monitoring such as an ultrasound & fetal heart rate testing.
How Can Diabetes in Pregnancy Affect My Unborn Child?
When diabetes is left unregulated during pregnancy, your baby may be at risk of developing the following conditions:
What is Fetal Distress?
Poorly controlled diabetes in pregnancy can be life-threatening to the fetus.
What is Macrosomia?
A condition where the baby becomes too large because of increased insulin and makes it difficult to have a vaginal birth; a C-section may be required to reduce the chance of injury to you or the baby during birth.
What is Hypoglycemia?
Also known as low blood sugar – your baby could be born with this condition and need special care.
Make an appointment today with Huey & Weprin. Our OB/GYNs commonly treat diabetes during pregnancy and offer outstanding, compassionate care.
