It’s not just a disability the baby may be prone to if their mother has difficulty controlling her own glucose levels. Other defects the child may have includes being overweight and in dramatic circumstances losing its life from a miscarriage.
The current strategic for a baby to be born with a defect is 19 in 1,000 births; however this stat rises to 72 in every thousand births if the mother is a diabetic. If the mother has Type 2 diabetes the health of the new born child has a likelihood of deteriorating even more. That’s four times more likely, although researchers are stressing that most diabetic mothers will conceive a perfectly healthily baby.
The study also showed the most critical time to when the baby is most at risk are the run up to conception, if sugar levels are abnormal during this time the babies health is at greater risk.
Dr. Ruth Bell was the lead researcher of the study, which was undertaken at Newcastle University, she said,
"The good news is that, with expert help before and during pregnancy, most women with diabetes will have a healthy baby. The risk of problems can be reduced by taking extra care to have the best possible glucose control before becoming pregnant. Any reduction in high glucose levels is likely to improve the chances of a healthy baby.
Of course, this is likely to stop diabetic women to become mothers, but experts stress a sugar level should be below 6.1% before you rush off behind the bed sheets to make a new addition to the family.
Diabetes UK also added that these risks can be reduced by speaking to your healthcare team and planning your pregnancy.
For more information on diabetes go to the Diabetes UK website
