What does gestational diabetes mean for the mother and the baby

What does gestational diabetes mean for the mother and the baby?

Most women with gestational diabetes deliver healthy babies without complications. However, if blood sugar levels are poorly controlled, it can affect both mother and fetus. Potential complications for the baby include:

  • Macrosomia: Excessive growth of the baby, increasing the risk of birth injuries or necessitating a C-section.
  • Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar after birth.
  • Respiratory distress syndrome: Difficulty in breathing.
  • Jaundice: Yellowish discoloration of the skin and eyes.
  • Long-term risks: Obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life, as well as developmental delays such as delayed motor skills and attention problems.

Complications for the mother may include:

  • Preeclampsia: High blood pressure and excess protein in the urine after the 20th week of pregnancy.
  • Urinary tract infections.
  • Future risk: Gestational diabetes in subsequent pregnancies or type 2 diabetes later in life.
  • Labor and delivery complications, including an increased likelihood of needing a C-section.