Problems of babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes

This is an automatically translated article.

Posted by Master, Doctor Ngo Thi Oanh - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital

1. What is gestational diabetes?

According to the definition of the World Health Organization (WHO), gestational diabetes or gestational diabetes is a state of glucose intolerance of any degree, onset or first detected during pregnancy. pregnant. This condition often has no symptoms, so it is difficult to detect and will disappear after 6 weeks from birth.

2. Problems of children born to mothers with gestational diabetes

Possible problems for babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes include:
Babies born overweight When the mother has diabetes, the mother's blood sugar is high, the baby's blood sugar will also be high, then The baby's pancreas will respond by producing more insulin. Insulin lowers blood sugar and stores excess sugar in the form of lipids, so babies are born with a higher-than-normal birth weight.
Premature birth, stillbirth If the mother's blood sugar is not controlled, it can lead to premature birth, or stillbirth, especially in the last weeks of pregnancy.
Baby has low blood sugar after birth When the mother has gestational diabetes, the mother's blood sugar is high, the baby's blood sugar will also be high, then the baby's pancreas will respond by producing more insulin, after the baby When born, the mother's sugar supply will be cut off, but there is still a lot of insulin in the baby's body, and insulin lowers blood sugar, so the baby has low blood sugar, severe hypoglycemia can cause convulsions in the baby. .

Risk of neonatal respiratory failure The risk of respiratory failure is more common when babies are born to mothers with gestational diabetes. Respiratory failure is not only seen in premature babies but also in full-term babies.
Hypocalcemia Hypocalcemia inhibits parathyroid function in children and is associated with hyperphosphatemia and hypomagnesemia. In maternal gestational diabetes, urinary magnesium reabsorption is reduced, and magnesium depletion from the mother crosses the placenta.
Hyperbilirubinemia Imperfection of liver function and polycythemia vera are factors that cause hyperbilirubinemia. Therefore, it is necessary to diagnose gestational diabetes early, to control blood sugar for the mother, to reduce the risk to the baby and to know the risk to the baby, to prevent and treat the disease in time.

3. Directions for handling and taking care of children born to mothers with diabetes

Caring for babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes requires:
Newborns right after birth need to be monitored and cared for by a neonatologist. Check the child's blood sugar even though there are no symptoms of hypoglycemia, depending on the blood sugar results, treat the child. Monitor the child's breathing, if the child shows signs of respiratory failure: Respiratory support, it is necessary to inject Sulfactan, because in this child it is often due to a deficiency of that active ingredient. At Vinmec International General Hospital, there is a package maternity service as a solution to help pregnant women feel secure because of the companionship of the medical team throughout the pregnancy. When choosing Maternity Package, pregnant women can:
The pregnancy process is monitored by a team of qualified doctors Regular check-up, early detection of abnormalities Maternity package helps to facilitate the process. Birth program Newborns receive comprehensive care To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online HERE HERE .
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