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Pregnancy and Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition characterized by a high level of sugar, or glucose the blood. Diabetes that occurs only in pregnancy is known as gestational betel. During pregnancy, hormones cause the woman's insulin to be effective at metabolizing glucose. The resulting high blood sugar can lea complications in both the woman and baby. The condition disappears vast majority of women, although become gestational diabetics with subsequent pregnancies. In life, they are also more likely to develop non-insulin-dependent diabe Most women who are well controlled during pregnancy have good pregnas cies and healthy babies.

The risk factors for developing gestational diabetes are family history, previous large babies, or previous gestational diabetes. The condition is most common in women who are obese or over the age of 25. Most practices screen all women at 28 weeks for the condition with the glucose tolerance test. ve diagnosis is confirmed, the pregnant woman is placed on a diabetic diet. Home monitoring of blood sugar is pcnormeA stseva.

If diet alone does not control the blood sugar, insulin may have to be given. The babies of untreated diabetic women may be very large, making delivmore difficult. Other complications include respiratory difficulties, jaundice, low level of calcium in the blood, and stillbirth. If the diabetes is not lied, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) may occur after birth. While in a baby produces high levels of insulin to absorb the woman's high labled sugar. At birth, the woman's supply of sugar drops, and the baby's high aid of insulin may cause his own blood sugar level to drop very low. lining soon after birth helps to prevent hypoglycemia.

Women who have diabetes are more likely to develop pregnancy-induced time:tension. To prevent stillbirths, their doctors may induce labor before or on the due date. If the induction is not successful, a cesarean section is per- :mimed. Infection and postpartum hemorrhage are also more common in diabetic women.

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