How dangerous is gestational diabetes for the fetus?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Nguyen Thi Minh Tuyet - Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

Gestational diabetes is a dangerous disease that no pregnant mother wants but can happen to any woman. During pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones that help the fetus develop. These hormones inadvertently cause some adverse effects on insulin, leading to hormonal disorders and consequent gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is a disease caused by abnormal blood sugar levels during pregnancy. This is considered a common disease in pregnant women. However, the disease only thrives during pregnancy and will disappear after delivery. Research shows that about 2% to 10% of pregnant women develop gestational diabetes.
1.1. Why pregnant women are prone to gestational diabetes During pregnancy, because of the increased energy demand, your body requires more sugar. However, a pregnant woman's body can regulate its own production of extra insulin to deal with high sugar levels during pregnancy. But in reality, not all mothers have such advantages.
On the other hand, during pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones that help the fetus develop. These hormones inadvertently cause some adverse effects on insulin, leading to hormonal disorders and consequent gestational diabetes.
1.2. Manifestations of Gestational Diabetes Gestational diabetes occurs silently. Usually, pregnant women do not know they have the disease until they have a routine antenatal check-up and the doctor orders a test for gestational diabetes.

However, you can recognize some of the following signs of gestational diabetes:
Feeling thirsty often, or waking up in the middle of the night to drink water; Urinating many times a day and the amount of urine is also more than other pregnant women; When scratched, the wound will take a long time to heal; Vulnerable to fungal infections in the intimate area, using conventional antifungal drugs is not effective. Signs of weight loss, fatigue, lack of vitality. 1.3. Subjects need to be tested for gestational diabetes The risk of gestational diabetes will be higher if the pregnant woman has one of the following factors:
Being pregnant when she is over the age of 30; Family history of type 2 diabetes. Personal history of gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy. Overweight and obesity before and during pregnancy. The previous child weighed more than 4.1 kg. If your insulin level and gestational diabetes index are within safe limits, you are not in the group of gestational diabetes.
Details of fetal development week by week, every parent should learn:

Normal results of blood glucose in pregnant women:
Fasting: ≤ 92 mg/dl (5.1 mmol/l) 1 hour after eating: ≤ 180 mg/dl (10 mmol/l) After 2 hours: ≤ 153 mg/dl (8.5 mmol/l) Gestational diabetes was diagnosed if two results were equal to or above the upper limit of the pregnancy
Glucose intolerance in pregnancy if one result equals or exceeds the upper limit.

During pregnancy, you need to monitor your blood sugar more often, especially if you are in the high-risk group.

With a home gestational diabetes meter, you can measure your own blood sugar at any time. The timing of each person's blood sugar measurement may vary slightly from case to case. Normally, you should test your blood sugar fasting (before meals), 1-2 hours after a meal, before going to bed, and any time you feel tired or show signs of low blood sugar.
In case you find that the gestational diabetes index has gradually stabilized and reached the treatment goal, the frequency of blood sugar testing can be increased, such as measuring every other day or every two days... You should record Remember the blood sugar level during pregnancy and also the signs of gestational diabetes so that you can promptly handle it.

Gestational diabetes leads to many dangerous consequences for both mother and baby. If the gestational diabetes index rises too high, the following unfortunate situations may occur:
4.1. For the fetus Babies are born easily overweight, obese, have respiratory diseases and are more prone to blood sugar diseases than normal babies; Baby has low calcium after birth; Risk of birth defects. 4.2. For mothers Risk of back injury, fracture and dislocation due to too large fetus; Preeclampsia rate is 4 times higher than normal people; The possibility of premature birth and cesarean section increases, because the baby's lower body is too big; Miscarriage , stillbirth ; Postpartum haemorrhage. These consequences are extremely dangerous for both mother and baby. Therefore, learn how to prevent gestational diabetes now to avoid unfortunate things happening.

5.1. Maintain your ideal pre-pregnancy weight When you decide to have a baby, try to maintain your ideal weight. Being overweight is not a cause of gestational diabetes, but it is a leading risk factor for the disease. Specifically, people with BMI (body mass index) greater than 30 are 3 times more likely to develop gestational diabetes than people with BMI less than 25.
In addition, weight loss should be done before deciding to get pregnant, especially when you are overweight or obese. Losing weight while pregnant is not recommended, because this is not safe for the health of the mother and the pregnancy process.
5.2. A healthy diet A healthy diet not only reduces the risk of gestational diabetes but also improves the health of pregnant women during the tiring days of pregnancy. Try to balance the amount of powdered sugar and the remaining groups of substances so that the blood sugar index does not rise too high after eating.
There is no universal menu for all pregnant women. However, there are general principles that you can follow, such as eating smaller meals, adding foods rich in fiber, using healthy fats, ensuring a balanced nutritional content. in the daily diet.
The simplest way to be able to control the amount of food each day, it is through advice from nutritionists. From there, you create a meal plan for yourself and strictly follow the plan set out. Thus, you will not have to worry about the gestational diabetes index rising too high and limiting the risk of diabetes during pregnancy.
5.3. Increase reasonable exercise Exercise is an important factor to help prevent gestational diabetes. Talk to your obstetrician to establish an exercise regimen that is best suited for each person's health. If possible, you should spend 30 minutes a day on suitable exercise such as walking or swimming.

If you can't exercise every day for 30 minutes continuously, you can split the practice time into about 10 minutes each time. Besides, other types of exercise such as housework, taking the stairs are also considered as effective as exercise.
Moreover, exercising after meals helps the gestational diabetes index not to rise too high, improves insulin resistance, enhances flexibility, endurance of the body and the activity of the cardiovascular system. In addition, during exercise, the body will secrete hormones that help you feel comfortable, optimistic and effectively prevent stress.
Besides, don't forget to have regular antenatal check-ups throughout your pregnancy. Because this is the best way for pregnant women to control gestational diabetes and dangerous complications caused by the disease.
In the last 3 months of pregnancy, the health of both mother and baby needs to be closely monitored and checked, in addition to screening for gestational diabetes, pregnant women need:
Know the real signs of labor to go to the hospital timely, affecting the health of the fetus. Differentiate between amniotic fluid and vaginal discharge for timely treatment to avoid premature birth, fetal distress, and stillbirth. Be especially careful when bleeding in the last 3 months of pregnancy needs urgent emergency care to ensure the life of both mother and baby. Monitor the amount of amniotic fluid regularly and continuously. Monitor fetal weight in the last 3 months to assess baby's development and predict possible risks at birth. The special monitoring group is the same as the striker, and the fetal growth retardation needs to be closely monitored by the doctor and given appropriate indications. Distinguish between physiological contractions, labor contractions and mechanical pregnancy to get to the hospital in time. Maternity service package at Vinmec helps pregnant women's pregnancy become lighter and safer. During pregnancy, pregnant women will be examined by top doctors in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department with high professional qualifications and experience, giving the best advice and treatment for the health of both mother and child. little.
For detailed information about all-inclusive maternity service packages, please contact the hospitals and clinics of Vinmec Health system nationwide.