How Diabetes Can Affect You and Your Baby during pregnancy

High blood glucose levels before and during pregnancy can
worsen your long-term diabetes problems, such as eye problems, heart disease, and kidney disease
increase the chance of problems for your baby, such as being born too early, weighing too much, having breathing problems or low blood glucose right after birth, or other health problems
increase the risk of your baby having birth defects
increase the risk of losing your baby through miscarriage, which means loss of the baby before 20 weeks, or stillbirth, which means the baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks

Glucose in a pregnant woman’s blood passes through to the baby. If your blood glucose level is too high during pregnancy, so is your baby’s glucose level before birth. After delivery, however, the baby’s glucose level may drop quickly and go too low.
Having diabetes can also increase your chances of developing the following conditions:
• Preeclampsia is a condition in which you develop high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine during the second half of pregnancy. This condition can cause serious problems for you and your baby that can be life threatening. The only cure for preeclampsia is to give birth. If you develop preeclampsia late in your pregnancy, you may need to have surgery—called a cesarean section, or c-section—to deliver your baby early. If you develop preeclampsia earlier, you may need bed rest and medicines, or you may have to be hospitalized, to allow your baby to develop as much as possible before delivery.
• Depression can make you too tired to manage your diabetes and care for your baby. If during or after your pregnancy you feel anxious, sad, or unable to cope with the changes you are facing, talk with your doctor. Depression is a treatable illness. Your doctor can suggest ways you can get help and support.