Stillbirth & gestational diabetes correlation?

Question

Just found out we're pregnant and due March 2017. I don't have diabetes and am not pre-diabetic either. However I am 200lbs+. A family member had gestational diabetes and sadly had a still born a week before her scheduled c-section. There's a lot of family pressure to not gain weight and talk of how her weight (300+) and diabetes caused the stillbirth.

Has anyone been told this by their doctor? Has anyone experienced loss that doctors thought correlated with weight and diabetes? Please help. Terribly worried 😰😰

Answer

Hi Apple, I had my first GD appointment yesterday, and the doctor told me about the stillbirth risk, which is honestly terrifying. I am just beginning, and my numbers are low, but, like you, I have all types of diabetes in my family history, so I am being very careful about diet and exercise. Maybe look into following a GD diet, even though you haven't been diagnosed? For most people, that is all they need to do.

Answer

It could happen. But from what I was told it happens mostly from poorly managed gd. Also poor prenatal care.

Answer

Big babies increase stillbirth risks and GD increases the risk of big babies.  It's because then the babies get too big, the amniotic fluids get lower and the placenta starts to lose effectiveness.  In general, you should eat a healthy diet to ensure your baby doesn't get too big to have these risks.  With GD, you will need an even healthier diet, which really means less carbs than the average person, and monitor your blood sugar routinely to make sure it's managed properly.  The risk of poorly managed blood sugar levels is the extra blood sugar will be taken in by the baby and the baby will grow fat and get bigger with the extra sugar (and may be hypoglycemic at birth), which over time will lead to a big baby.  So I echo what the other poster said, eat a healthy diet, especially if you were heavier to begin with, make sure to exercise daily (a 30 minute walk does wonders), monitor your weight gain to ensure you are within the doctor's recommendations, and you should be ok!

Stillbirth & gestational diabetes correlation?

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