If left untreated during pregnancy, gestational diabetes can cause serious health complications for both you and your child. Gestational diabetes, especially if untreated, can have both short-term and long-term effects on you and your baby.
Diagnosing and treating gestational diabetes is just one reason to have prenatal care as soon as you discover you are pregnant.
Doctors test for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy during routine prenatal care, and this testing can help ensure gestational diabetes is treated if you have it.
Untreated diabetes may affect individuals during pregnancy and afterwards. It may also affect babies during delivery and afterwards, as well.
Potential complications during pregnancy and gestation
Untreated gestational diabetes
- hypertension (high blood pressure) during pregnancy
- preeclampsia
- Cesarean delivery (C-section)
- heavy bleeding
- perineal (area between the anus and reproductive organs) trauma
- shoulder dystocia in delivery (because of large babies)
Untreated gestational diabetes may cause short-term health effects in babies, such as:
- macrosomia (large birth weight)
- birth injuries (because baby is large)
- labor complications (because baby is large)
- preterm birth, which may cause:
- respiratory distress
- feeding problems
- jaundice
- admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)
- neonatal hypoglycemia (low blood sugar at birth)
- in rare but severe cases, stillbirth or neonatal death
Potential complications after pregnancy and birth
The long-term effects for individuals who have untreated gestational diabetes a much higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Babies who experienced untreated gestational, may be at a greater risk of developing obesity, high blood pressure (hypertension), and insulin resistance. These risks may continue into adulthood.
Gestational diabetes can be a serious and even life threatening condition. During routine prenatal care, doctors screen for gestational diabetes. Timely, effective treatment can help prevent both short-term and long-term complications from gestational diabetes for both parent and baby.
If you are pregnant, it’s important to seek prenatal care as soon as possible and continue it throughout your pregnancy.
If you have concerns about gestational diabetes, speak with a doctor or healthcare professional immediately.