Pregnancy & High Blood Sugar

According to the American Diabetes Association, when a woman who previously had stable blood sugar levels develops high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, she may be diagnosed as having gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is usually present only during pregnancy and blood sugar levels typically return to normal after the baby is born. While gestational diabetes is treatable it is important that a pregnant woman with high blood sugar follow her doctor's recommendations. If left untreated high blood sugar during pregnancy can have negative effects on both the expectant mother and the unborn baby.

Detection

Gestational diabetes is typically detected by a blood test. At approximately the 28th week of pregnancy an expectant mother will be given a glucose tolerance test. The results of this test show how high her blood sugar is and tell physicians whether she has gestational diabetes.

Effects

When a pregnant woman has gestational diabetes, her body is unable to make the extra insulin that is needed during pregnancy. Without enough insulin, sugar cannot be converted into energy and blood sugar levels increase, causing hyperglycemia. Symptoms of hyperglycemia, according to the American Diabetes Association, include excessive thirst, unusual headaches, changes in vision, not being able to think clearly and excessive urination.

Dangers to Fetus

If an expectant mother has high blood sugar, an increased amount of sugar passes through the placenta and into the blood of the baby, causing his pancreas to work harder than it normally would have to. Babies of mothers with high blood sugar may gain too much weight during gestation and may be so large as to cause difficulties in delivery. Because more insulin is being produced by the baby in the womb, she may extremely low blood sugar shortly after being born. Babies born to mothers with high blood sugar may have trouble breathing and may be at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Treatment

Treatment of high blood sugar during pregnancy depends on many factors. Some women are able to control their blood sugar by following strict diets and an exercise routine. For other women, lifestyle changes are not enough and insulin injections are necessary until the baby is born.

Prevention

There is no way to guarantee that a woman will not develop high blood sugar during pregnancy, as it appears the placenta may prevent her body from producing insulin in some cases. Pregnant women who are at higher risk of gestational diabetes due to being overweight before pregnancy, or those who have a family history of gestational diabetes, should try to maintain an active lifestyle during pregnancy and to eat healthy foods that are low in sugar.