Children of a diabetic mother

diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are very high. During pregnancy, excess glucose is not good for the baby.

Diabetic mothers

diabetes is a metabolic disease that consists of poor glucose control due to a deficit in insulin function.

Women who are diabetic and who are on insulin treatment, pregnancy is a difficult situation to control their disease and, in most cases, they need more insulin to control blood glucose levels.

They must follow very closely with their Gynecologist and Midwife.

Ideally, before becoming pregnant, have strict diabetes control with a balanced diet, exercise, and insulin.

Poor control of diabetes in pregnant women can lead to health problems for the fetus and the mother.

Problems in the fetus

• Polyhydramnios
• Preeclampsia
• Abortions
• Malformations: heart, intestine, skeleton, kidney or nervous system
• Intrauterine growth retardation: occurs when the mother has vascular complications from diabetes. This causes the fetus not to get enough food and oxygen and to grow little
• Macrosomia (newborns over 4 kilograms): if the diabetic mother does not have circulatory problems, the fetuses get too fat and are born with a high weight.

Newborn problems

• Hypoglycemia (drop in glucose levels)
• Metabolic problems: hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia
• respiratory problems at birth (these are fetuses that have a hard time lung maturation because insulin hinders the formation of lung surfactant)
• heart problems
• Polycythemia (higher than normal number of red blood cells)

The prevention of all these problems consists of a thorough control of the pregnant woman and a meticulous examination of the baby at birth.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that first appears when a woman is pregnant. It goes away when the baby is born, but increases the risk of diabetes later on.

During pregnancy, there are changes in hormone levels and weight. These two changes make it difficult for the body to produce enough insulin. This produces an increase in glucose in the blood that is harmful to the fetus.

Risk factors for gestational diabetes:

• Having an immediate family member with diabetes
• Having had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy
• Maternal age
• Overweight and obesity
• Problems with glucose regulation before pregnancy

During pregnancy, the Gynecologist indicates the appropriate tests to diagnose a possible gestational diabetes, when there are risk factors.

The repercussions for the baby are the same as those said for children of a diabetic mother (except that it does not cause a greater number of malformations), for this reason treatment must always be given: diet, exercise and, sometimes, insulin.

Effects of gestational diabetes in the mother:

Women with gestational diabetes often have no symptoms. However, gestational diabetes can affect the health of the mother:

• It can increase the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy.
• It can increase the risk of having a large baby. This means that you may need a cesarean section.
• Increased chance of having type 2 diabetes in the future.
• Increased risk of gestational diabetes in the next pregnancy.