Pregnancy and Diabetes: Risk Factors and Avoiding Complications

Birth Weight

Birth Defects

Death in-Utero and Death Following Birth

Health of the Diabetic Mother

Preventive Measures

Testing

Pre-Conception Counseling

Medical and Advisory Team

Pregnancy requires more insulin in the body than normal because of the increased production of hormones that can lead to insulin resistance.

For a woman suffering from type 1 diabetes this is especially problematic because she already has difficulty producing or responding to insulin. Not only is the mother's health at risk, but the baby's health may suffer as well. As insufficient insulin causes blood sugar to rise in the mother, the sugar travels across the placenta to the baby. When the baby's blood sugar is high, the baby makes extra insulin to keep its own blood sugar normal. Problems of the developing baby may include larger or smaller size, increased risk for malformations or birth defects, or...
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