Pregnancy And Diabetes – The Dangers Of High Blood Sugar
There is no reason at all why a diabetic mother-to-be cannot enjoy a normal, full term pregnancy.
Even so, diabetes, type 1 or type 2, does mean that the parents will have some extra responsibility to ensure potential complications do not arise.
Even if the mother is not a diabetic, there is such a thing as gestational diabetes which can be contracted during the second half of the pregnancy, which needs to be looked out for.
Unlike type 1 and 2 diabetics who already know and understand their disease and what is involved as regards treatment, gestational diabetes comes with no warning and the mother has a whole new set of rules to abide by, including injecting themselves with insulin, and monitoring their blood sugar levels.
Left untreated, there are huge health risks to the unborn child when it comes to high blood sugar levels in the mother.
The best thing to do as a diabetic is to consult with your doctor before you conceive. The doctor can then give a medical check, and prepare you for any change in medication, specifically for oral medication to insulin injections.
The dangers to the foetus of high blood sugar levels in the mother, are risks of miscarriage and abnormalities. Any abnormalities will be apparent after 5-9 weeks of the pregnancy, which means that they can occur so early that the mother doesn’t yet know she is in fact pregnant.
High blood glucose levels in the mother produces a risk of macrosomia in the baby. This is where some of the excess sugars in the mother pass into the unborn child, making the child’s pancreas start to produce insulin. By producing insulin this sugar is turned into fat and is stored in the abdomen, legs and arms of the baby.
Macrosomia means that the baby gains weight and size more quickly than normal, that often results in the necessity of an early delivery and a premature birth.
A moderate amount of exercise, gentle walking for example, is of benefit during pregnancy, as well as stopping smoking, which has been proved to increase the risk of the baby becoming obese and diabetic later in life.
Toby has been diagnosed diabetic for over 3 years now. To help to relieve his diabetic stress he likes to fix machinery, restoring old used air compressors. He has put up a website about used air compressors, where you can find detailed information on this subject.
Processing your request, Please wait....
