A diabetes fetus is a baby that is prone to all sorts of health problems while still in utero. These problems are a result of the mother’s poor health conditions, specifically high or low blood sugar levels. If the mother suffers from any form of diabetes, whether it is type 1, type 2, or pre-diabetes, the women is at increased risk in developing gestational diabetes, which only affects women during their pregnancy.
As a woman’s body supports the growing fetus, the mother’s issues with any form of diabetes will transfer onto the child. If a mother’s pancreas produces little or no insulin, a fetus is likely to show signs of this problem, too. Similarly, if a mother develops diabetes, she and the baby, are both more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes later on.
Diabetes Fetus – Complications
Complications of the diabetes fetus are numerous. First, if the mother experiences elevated blood glucose levels, the fetus will also have high levels of sugar. The pancreas tries to mimic the mother’s levels and since the body cannot process the extra sugar, it is stored as fat. This action can cause a baby to be extremely large, which will lead to more health problems for the fetus and a complicated labor and delivery for the mother.
Second, since the baby’s pancreas has been producing an abundance of insulin, the glucose levels will be too high for the baby. This is called hypoglycemia and the baby may need to be fed glucose intravenously in order to stabilize the rising sugar levels. The hypoglycemia may also contribute to the baby being fussy, lethargic, and unresponsive to stimuli that would normally calm or soothe him.
The third way a diabetes fetus is impacted is through birth defects. A pregnancy that is otherwise normal usually produces a healthy baby, but as diabetics experience issues with overall nerve and organ damage, the fetus is subject to the same difficulties. In addition, the placenta in the mother is an organ that may suffer damage, which may cause malformations of a fetus’ body, and low supply of blood and oxygen. These complications also contribute to mental and physical impairment.
This last complication may produce a condition worse than disfigurements. The limited supply of blood and oxygen surging through the placenta may affect the baby by essentially starving him. This lack of required nutrients may result in an intrauterine death, more commonly known as a stillborn baby.
Diabetes Fetus – Prevention
Obviously, a baby cannot do anything in the birth canal to prevent any symptoms of diabetes fetus. The mother is responsible for all aspects of the fetus’ care, especially before he is born.Before conceiving, a mother should gain control over her weight, diet, and exercise. Losing weight, altering her diet, and implementing daily exercise in order to stabilize blood sugar is the best step she can take in preparing for a healthy pregnancy. If she is pre-diabetic or at risk for gestational diabetes, she should schedule frequent visits to the doctor for routine tests, and check her blood sugar levels frequently in addition to modified lifestyle changes.
