Pregnant women with diabetes who do not control their blood sugar levels may suffer from health problems like their babies:
Birth Defects
The baby’s organs develop during the first months of pregnancy, often before the woman knows she is pregnant. Uncontrolled blood sugar can affect these organs while they are growing and cause severe congenital disabilities in the development of the baby, such as the brain, spine, and heart.
Too big baby
Diabetes that is not well-controlled causes an increase in the child’s blood sugar. The baby is “overfed” and grows too much. In addition to causing discomfort in the last months of pregnancy, having a baby too large can cause problems during labor for both the mother and him. It may be that the mother needs a cesarean to deliver. It is also possible for the baby to be born with nerve damage due to pressure on the shoulders during labor.
Cesarean operation
A cesarean is an operation to get the baby through the mother’s womb. A woman with poorly controlled diabetes has a higher chance of requiring a cesarean to deliver the baby. When the baby born by cesarean section, the mother will take more time to recover from the delivery.
High blood pressure – “preeclampsia.”
When a pregnant woman suffers from high blood pressure, protein in the urine, and a persistent inflammation of the fingers and toes that is not relieved, she may have preeclampsia. This it entails a serious problem that warrants close monitoring by the doctor. High blood pressure in multiple cases can cause harm to the mother and her baby. It can cause premature birth, also seizures or strokes (a blood clot or bleeding in the brain with possible brain damage).
Premature birth (before term)
A baby who is born very prematurely may have complications, such as trouble breathing, heart problems, bleeding in the brain, bowel problems or vision. Women with type 1 or 2 diabetes are more likely to give birth to a premature baby.
Low blood sugar – “hypoglycemia.”
People who have diabetes and take insulin or other types of diabetes medications may experience a depreciation in their blood sugar level. Low blood sugar can be severe and even deadly if it is not taken care of quickly. Women can avoid a dangerous decrease in their blood sugar if they carefully monitor their levels and are treated promptly.
If the mother has not checked her diabetes during pregnancy, her baby’s blood sugar levels may drop rapidly after birth. Your child’s sugar levels should keep under observation for several hours after birth.
Spontaneous abortions or stillbirths
A miscarriage is the interruption of a pregnancy before 20 weeks. Stillbirth occurs after 20 weeks of gestation. Spontaneous abortions and stillbirths can happen for several reasons. A woman who has uncontrolled diabetes is more likely to have a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Exercise regularly
Exercise is another way to control your blood sugar. Helps balance food consumption. After consulting your doctor, you can perform regular exercise before, during and after pregnancy.
Tips for Women with Diabetes
A woman who has diabetes and keeps her blood sugar under control before and after pregnancy can reduce her chances of having a baby with congenital disabilities. Controlling blood sugar also reduces the risk of a woman suffering from the common complications of diabetes, or those complications worsen during pregnancy.
Measures that women can take before and during pregnancy to avoid complications:
Plan Your Pregnancy
Before you seek a pregnancy, consult your doctor. He has to evaluate the effects that diabetes has caused in his body, advise him how to achieve and maintain control of blood sugar, change medicines if necessary and plan frequent follow-up. If you suffer overweight, your doctor may recommend that you try to lose weight before you become pregnant as part of the system to control your blood sugar.
Consult your doctor early and often
During pregnancy, a woman who has diabetes needs to see her doctor more often than pregnant women who do not have the disease. You and your doctor can carry out the studies together to prevent or detect problems early.
Eat healthy foods
Eat healthy foods included in a meal plan for people with diabetes. A nutritionist can help you create a healthy meal plan. It can also teach you how to control your blood sugar during pregnancy.
Take medications and insulin as directed
If your doctor prescribes medications or insulin, bring them as directed to help control your blood sugar.