Many c-section deliveries aren't necessary, but gestational diabetes increases the likelihood of a cesarean delivery and childhood and adolescent obesity.
The causes of gestational diabetes are not known. But some women with gestational diabetes are overweight before they're pregnant or come from a family with a history of diabetes. Anywhere from 1 in 20 to 1 in 50 women have gestational diabetes, but it is more prevalent in Native American, Alaskan Native, Hispanic, Asian and black women although it is found in white women too.
The CDC released a pdf report on Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that occurs in a pregnant woman who did not have diabetes before she was pregnant. Gestational diabetes usually shows up in the middle of pregnancy. Obstetricians typically test pregnant women for diabetes at 24 and 28 weeks.
When gestational diabetes can't be controlled by a healthy diet and regular exercise may sometimes require insulin. If the diabetes are not controlled, the unborn baby may become overfed and large (9 pounds or highers) the Center for Disease Control reports.
An extra large baby causes discomfort and can lead to problems during delivery for both mother and child. The last few months of pregnancy may become increasingly and unnecessarily uncomfortable and the baby may need to be delivered via C-section. A heavy baby may also be born with nerve damage due to pressure on the shoulder during delivery. Mothers who deliver babies via C-section take longer to recover from the birthing experiences.
If a mother doesn't control her diabetes while pregnant the baby can quickly develop low blood sugar after birth. Doctors have to monitor the baby's blood sugar for hours after the delivery. Babies born with gestational diabetes are more likely to become overweight or obese during childhood or adolescence. And obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Women with gestational diabetes can also develop preeclampsia, a condition where a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, protein in her urine, and often swelling in fingers and toes that doesn’t go away. Preeclampsia may cause harm to both the woman and her unborn baby. It might lead to the baby being born early and also could cause seizures or a stroke (a blood clot or a bleed in the brain that can lead to brain damage) in the woman during labor and delivery. Women with diabetes have high blood pressure more often than women without diabetes.
The CDC recommends several methods to combat gestational diabetes: The pdf can be downloaded here.
1. Eat Healthy Foods from a meal plan made for a person with diabetes. A dietitian can help you create a healthy meal plan. A dietitian can also help you learn how to control your blood sugar while you are pregnant.
Download CDC's menu (pdf) here.
2. Exercise regularly
3. Monitor blood sugar often
4. Take insulin in needed
5. Get tested for diabetes after pregnancy.
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