Complications of gestational diabetes??

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

What are some of the worse complications you all have seen when a woman does not control her gestational diabetes? What is the worse that can happen?

I am really curious about gestational diabetes complications; not complications of a woman who had diabetes before she conceived.

Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I had a patient miscarry because of GDM. Probably the worst outcome that can happen. :(

Specializes in Emergency/Trauma/Critical Care Nursing.

I'm no expert but I know that the babies tend to he on the large size which leads to preterm deliveries or inductions with immature lung development.

Specializes in L and D.

Well, just like with nongestational diabetes, gdm affects the nerves and perfusion. When blood sugars are not controlled in a gdm patient, she runs the risk of macrosomnia which puts her newborn at serious risk for blood sugar problems during the neonate period. Because of perfusion issues, the placenta can suffer causing serious issues for baby.

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Worst? Uncontrolled GDM, preterm baby born weighing 4.9kg (not a typo). Preemie heart and lungs unable to keep up with such a large body. :(

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Yes, biggest problem I've seen is severe respiratory distress, requiring being on a vent and in the NICU for several weeks.

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Google is your friend

Gestational diabetes Complications - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo Clinic

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Also, uncontrolled high blood sugar in early pregnancy during organogenesis can lead to severe issues in fetal development and miscarriage, as another poster mentioned.

That is why our facility has a policy wherein we do an early 1-hour GTT for certain "high risk" populations. This is done at the first prenatal visit, with all of her other prenatal labs. Those high risk populations are:

GDM in previous pregnancy

Previous macrosomic infant

Mother 35 or over

Pre-pregnancy BMI of over 29

Black, Native American, Pacific Island or Latina race/ethnicity

First degree relative with DM

Which means that I do a early 1-hour on about 98% of our OB patients.

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

In addition to Esme's link, here is a link that outlines specifically the risks/complications faced by IDMs (infants of diabetic mothers):

http://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/pdf/manuals/51_DiabMother.pdf

Larger for gestational age, which could lead to complications during labor, ie they wont fit through the birth canal so the dr will have to break their shoulder to deliver the baby or c-sec, they can develop a condition in which they have way too many red blood cells (forgot what that is called), They are at much greater risk of being hypoglycemic immediately after birth which is dangerous, at risk for obesity later in life, and yes google is your friend.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Our hospital and another across town treat all high one hours as diabetic. High maternal glucose is considered a tetrogenic. And if you or anyone has had a high one hour, you should be screened for type II diabetes.

Specializes in L&D.

increased risk of still birth, macrosomia leading to birth complications such as shoulder dystocia which comes with it's own host of problems, GD babies tend to not feed as well, as well as a host of other problems other posters have mentioned.

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