When you confirm your pregnancy, you begin to implement a healthy diet into your daily routine. Even with a nutritious diet and active lifestyle, you still end up developing diabetes during your pregnancy. Pregnancy is a diabetic state and susceptible women need to be screened for GDM (Gestational diabetic mellitus). Diabetes during pregnancy can harm both you and your unborn child. The effects of diabetes on pregnancy on your infant will be discussed in more detail below.
What is pregnancy diabetes:
Normally diabetes in pregnancy can be categorised into two types
Gestational diabetes– During pregnancy, some women experience elevated blood sugar, known as gestational diabetes (GD). Hormonal changes and the process through which our bodies turn food into energy are the causes of gestational diabetes. High blood sugar levels brought on by gestational diabetes can harm both your and your unborn child’s health.
Pregestational diabetes- You have diabetes in this situation before becoming pregnant. Type 1 or type 2 diabetes may be present in you. Insulin production is absent in people with type 1 diabetes. To use blood sugar, the body needs insulin. So, you will require insulin shots for type 1 diabetes. Insulin produced by people with type 2 diabetes cannot be used. Alternately, their bodies don’t produce enough insulin. You’ll require insulin and potentially blood sugar- lowering medication.
Effects of diabetes on pregnancy
Your baby is also impacted by your increased blood sugar because they receive their nutrition from your blood. The infant of diabetic mothers are at risk of developing many complications as follows
*If the mother is an avert diabetic with uncontrolled blood sugar, there is a risk of miscarriage (causes for miscarriage) and congenital abnormalities (birth defects)
*If diabetes is developed during pregnancy and is poorly controlled, the baby can have excessive fat depositions and become a big baby with excess liquor (polyhydramnios). Also, there is a risk of poor lung maturity, enlarged heart and stillbirth sudden IUD (Intrauterine dearth).
- Even after the baby is born, several problems might arise. Some of them are as follows
- Low sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Low blood calcium
- Jaundice
- Enlarged heart
- Breathing problems
- Large size (Big baby/ macrosomia). Due to this, there is an increased risk of birth defects and caesarean deliveries.
- The following newborn organs can suffer birth defects:
- Heart
- Blood vessels
- Brain
- Spinal cord
*Long-term problems-Babies born to mothers with diabetes are more likely to develop diabetes and obesity later in life.
To conclude:
Therefore, we are now aware of some of the possible effects of diabetes on pregnancy. It is very important to maintain a normal blood sugar level during pregnancy to have a safe delivery and a healthy baby. After giving birth, your blood sugar will likely return to normal. But you will be more at risk to type 2 diabetes or having another pregnancy with diabetes. To lower your chance of developing diabetes before, during, and after pregnancy, talk to your obstetrician about it.
