News of Pregnant Women's Blood Sugar

They have found that the higher a pregnant woman's blood sugar, the greater the risk to her newborn whether the mother has diabetes or not. These findings may lead to more women being diagnosed with diabetes during pregnancy and given stricter diet advice or medication to lower blood sugar. This research involved more than 23,000 pregnant women in nine countries. It found a strong relationship between blood sugar levels of the women and the rate of big babies and first-time Caesarean sections. The newborns were more likely to have low blood sugar levels and high insulin levels if their mother's blood sugar levels were higher. The problems can lead to obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure later in life. Large babies risk shoulder damage and other injuries if delivered vaginally and lead to more C-sections, which also pose health risks to mothers and babies.