Gestational Diabetes Baby Risks

Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that is characterized by insulin resistance that occurs primarily during the second and third trimester of a woman's pregnancy. It is believed to be caused by the rapid and excessive hormone production that women go through during their pregnancy. It is also thought that pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to deal with rising blood sugar levels which leads to hyperglycemia. Left untreated a gestational diabetes baby is placed at a higher risk for a variety of health problems.

About 4 percent of all pregnant women will be afflicted with gestational diabetes but it usually goes away after the baby is born. Left untreated this form of diabetes can pose a dangerous risk to both the mother and unborn baby. The biggest risk is caused by excessive sugar that crosses the placenta to the baby. Insulin on the other hand does not cross this barrier.

High blood sugar levels in the mother means the same for the baby. The developing baby's pancreas compensates for this by producing more insulin to remove the excess sugar from its blood stream. The sugar is stored away as fat which leads to macrosomia, also known as fat baby syndrome.

Babies born with macrosomia can have a whole host of health issues, some of which can be life threatening. Because babies born with this condition tend to be larger then normal they are most often require a cesarean birth. If they are born naturally they can damage their shoulders because they are too large for the birth canal. They can also be born with extremely low blood sugar levels and their respiratory system may not be fully developed, causing breathing problems.

To prevent gestational diabetes baby risks every woman should be tested during the second trimester of their pregnancy. If they are found to be suffering from this condition treatment and control needs to be started quickly. In most cases it can be controlled through gestational diabetes meal planning and exercise but in more extreme cases medical intervention may be necessary including daily insulin injections.

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Gestational Diabetes Risks and Complications

Diabetes is an illness that affects millions around the world, and if left untreated, serious health problems can crop up. The same can be said for gestational diabetes. Even though this form of diabetes is a temporary one, since it only occurs during pregnancy, damage to the developing baby is a real possibility, not to mention harmful to the mother, as well. So, if you're diagnosed it pays to understand the gestational diabetes risks that can be involved.

Some of the major issues that are present with gestational diabetes affect the unborn child more than the mother. Studies show that babies that are born to mothers who have untreated gestational diabetes can be born macrosomic, which means the baby is born very obese. This can be extremely dangerous not just to the long term health of the baby, but it also increases the chances of complications during delivery. The chances of some kind of harm coming to the mother during delivery if the baby is heavier are much greater than if the baby is normal sized.

One of the conditions the mother has to endure while suffering from gestational diabetes is hyperglycemia, which is too much sugar in the blood. Ironically, however, the baby will most likely suffer from hypoglycaemia, which means too little sugar in the blood. This condition is just as dangerous, but when it is affecting a brand new life, it can turn deadly.

Babies born to mothers who suffered from gestational diabetes during pregnancy can also show malformation of the lungs, which can result in severe breathing problems, which can have life long impacts. Studies have shown that if the baby survives past the initial health problems, he or she is more likely to grow up obese and have to fight being overweight for the rest of their lives, as well as having to deal with a glucose (sugar) intolerance, too.

Another condition that is closely associated with babies born from mothers who suffered from gestational diabetes is the presence of jaundice. While the condition isn't life threatening to your baby, it should be closely watched by a medical professional. It is caused by the liver not being fully formed during birth and not performing as it should.

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For the mother, the two major side effects from suffering from gestational diabetes are high blood pressure, probably from the stress of having gestational diabetes and worrying about what it is doing to your foetus as well as from the actual diabetes, and an increased likelihood of getting non-gestational diabetes later in life.

The best course of action is to consult a medical professional and make sure that any gestational diabetes risks are treated properly from the first trimester of your pregnancy to the end.

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