GDM, or gestational diabetes mellitus, is a serious condition that affects approximately 3-8% of all pregnant women in United States. These women enter their pregnancies with no history of diabetes. In their second or third trimester, they develop symptoms of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Type 2 diabetes is a medical condition in which either the pancreas cannot produce an adequate amount of insulin or the body cannot absorb the insulin. During pregnancy, the placenta produces extra hormones that block the ability of the women’s insulin; therefore, her production level is fine. She is simply insulin resistant.
Insulin’s primary job is to remove glucose, or sugar from the bloodstream and transfer it into the muscles, fat, and tissue, where the body will use it as energy. When insulin is unavailable, the body can become fatigued, as it has no fuel to keep it going.
GDM Diabetes – Risks for the Fetus
Being tired may not sound serious, but having gdm during pregnancy can cause massive issues for mother and child. High blood sugar levels in the mother will cause numerous chemical imbalances in the fetus. Many of these are minor and can be corrected but two critical imbalances are hypoglycemia and macrosomia. Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the fetus’ blood sugar level is extremely low. While in the womb, the baby’s high insulin production correlates with the mother’s high blood sugar level, but after delivery, the umbilical cord is cut and the baby no longer has access to the mother’s supply of glucose. The fetus will have to be given glucose through an IV in order to raise his glucose levels.
Likewise, when the baby receives nutrients from its mother and the mother has high blood sugar, the baby will produce extra insulin to keep up with the mother. Since the baby does not need this excess glucose, it will store it as fat. Because of this practice, the baby will most likely weigh over nine pounds when born which will cause a difficult labor and delivery for the mother and the baby. The baby could also have birth defects and possibly could be stillborn.
GDM Diabetes – Risks for the Mother
A woman may think that when her pregnancy ends, so does her gestational diabetes. The truth is, however, that she is at increased risk for developing gdm with subsequent pregnancies. In addition, she is now prone to developing Type 2 diabetes for the rest of her life if she does not gain control over her blood glucose levels. The best way to prevent diabetes, and gdm, is to maintain proper weight ranges and blood sugar levels in all stages of life.
