Gestational diabetes and the effects on the baby:

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Gestational diabetes and the effects on the baby:

A woman suffering from gestational diabetes passes on excess amounts of sugars to the baby through the placenta. A new born child is expected to have normal blood sugar level. Due the excess amount of sugar being passed from the mother to the child there is an increase in the production of insulin in the child’s body.

The increase in the level of insulin generates the following complications in the child:

Macrosomia: It is a condition in which the born baby is above 4,000gms in weight. This results when the child’s body produces excess amount of insulin to cope up with the sugars passed through the mother. The excess sugar is converted in to fat resulting in overweight.
Neonatal hypoglycemia: It is the case in which the child has low blood sugar level after birth. During gestation large amounts of insulin are generated convert sugar in to fat. After birth the sugar supply from the mother is cut off resulting in low blood sugar level.
Birth defects: babies born to gestational diabetes have higher risks of having birth defects. The commonly observed birth defects are that of brain, spine and heart.
Stillbirth: Pregnancies complicated with gestational diabetes result in poor oxygen and nutrient supply to the baby which may cause death or stillbirth.