diabetic pregnancy

The diabetic pregnancy - Pregnancy associated with diabetes mellitus. The term “diabetic pregnancy” may refer to a pregnancy in a woman with pre-existing diabetes, or to diabetes that develops during pregnancy; in the latter case, the condition is known as gestational diabetes.

Women with established diabetes can have a normal pregnancy provided that the diabetes is well controlled. Careful control of blood glucose levels must begin well before conception. Poor control may affect the baby’s growth, and increase the risk of fetal malformations and complications during pregnancy.

In gestational diabetes, the mother does not produce enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal. The condition is usually detected in the second half of pregnancy, when urine tests reveal the presence of glucose. Treatment is the same as for women who have pre-existing diabetes mellitus. Gestational diabetes disappears after the birth, but it is associated with an increased risk of the woman developing Type 2 diabetes in later life.