A consultant gynaecologist, Dr Nathaniel Adewole, has advised diabetic mothers to always control their blood sugar level before conception to prevent congenital malformation in unborn babies.
Adewole said in Abuja that uncontrolled diabetic in pregnant mothers risked giving birth to abnormal babies and were prone to increased level of abortions.
He added that in the latter part of pregnancy “diabetic mothers are prone to intrauterine restriction; which at times could lead to intrauterine foetal death.’’
Intrauterine growth restriction is a condition where a baby’s growth slows or ceases when it is in the uterus.
Foetal death refers to the spontaneous death of a foetus at any time during pregnancy; although the term is often used interchangeably with stillbirth.
Adewole said that since the baby in the womb of a diabetic pregnant mother was already used to certain level of sugar; it might have low sugar level after delivery.
“For those that are already diabetic prior to pregnancy, one of the steps is controlling the diabetics before pregnancy.
“Because uncontrolled diabetics prior to pregnancy can lead to a lot of complication including congenital malformation; so is better one controls the diabetic before conception,’’ he said.
According to him, diabetic occurs when the body cannot handle relative or absolute level of insulin that result in high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia).
“But if the pancreas is producing adequate insulin and the body is responsive; it will not affect the blood sugar level, because the body will be able to handle normal level of sugar consumption,’’ he said.
He also advised that those whose diabetics started during pregnancy should look out for the risk factors and ensure proper management.
Adewole, however, said that expectant mothers who were at higher risk of having pregnancy induced diabetics were those with family history of diabetic parents or siblings.
“Others risk factors are a woman that had delivered a baby of 4kg and above or a woman who is more than 90kg.
“Also a woman who during antenatal test up to two pluses for sugar during urinalysis,’’ he said.
The gynaecologist stressed that once diabetic mellitus was diagnosed in pregnancy; it required urgent treatment which could be diet alone or diet and insulin.
He said that most of the time patients were allowed to deliver by themselves under supervision if the insulin level was appropriately managed.
Adewole said that uncontrolled diabetic could affect all parts of the body including fertility in both male and female.
He, therefore, urged expectant mothers to register for antenatal clinic early and go for regular medical check-ups.
