Diabetic Source.Org

If gestational diabetes is not tested for or ignored it can have few adverse effects on your newborn baby.

Macrosomia

Macrosomia occurs when your baby weighs more than 8.8 pounds.  This excessive weight gain is caused by the mother passing too much sugar to the baby and the baby inturn converting this sugar to fat.   Macrosomia can cause premature birth or forced cesarean delivery.

Neonatal Hypoglycemia

Neonatal hypoglycemia occurs when the baby is born with low levels of sugar for the first few hours of life.  After delivery the baby is no longer receiving all that extra sugar from the mother, however the baby is still producing extra insulin for a few hours (or even a few days) causing “below normal” levels of blood sugar.  Babies born with neonatal hypoglycemia exhibit shakes, fussiness and even respiration distress.  All of these effects usually subside in a few hours once the baby’s pancrease begins to normalize.

The usual signs of gestational diabetes are continuous bouts of unquenchable thirst, increased urination, blurred vision and rapid weight gain.  Most of these gestational diabetes symptoms can easily be confused for normal symptoms of pregnancy, so it’s important that you request a gestational diabetes test from your doctor when you enter your 3rd trimester.  If any of the symptoms mentioned above occur earlier (as in the first or second trimester) please consult your doctor right away!

Gestational diabetes is a short term form of Type II Diabetes that arises during pregnancy and typically vanishes after birth.  Gestational diabetes begins when your body is unable to make and utilize all the insulin it requires for pregnancy.  Gestational diabetes affects the mother in later in pregnancy, just after the baby’s body has begun developing.

Gestational diabetes presents in about 6% of all pregnancies, affecting 120,000 mothers in the United States alone each year.  Gestational diabetes is oftentimes treatable with a meal plan and physical exercise.  Gestational diabetes is more common in over weight and minority mothers and puts them at increased jeopardy for poor fetal outcome and for developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.