Relationship Between Gestational Diabetes & Pre-eclampsia
Published August 16, 2022
Pregnancy brings in several physical and mental changes in a woman's body. Even though most pregnancies are healthy, complications do occur. More so, if you were not very healthy at the time of the conception, possible risks and complications might accompany your journey.
Two such common complications are gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia. In this article, we shall know more about these two and whether there is a relationship between gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.
To learn more about the relationships between blood sugar and blood pressure, read Can Hypoglycemia Cause Hypertension?
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is defined as glucose intolerance diagnosed for the first time during pregnancy, and there are two main causes:
1. Changes in Placenta
The placenta secretes hormones that support your child’s growth in the uterus. However, in some cases, they might block the action of the mother’s insulin, causing hyperglycemia (1). As GDM only affects the mothers in the last trimester of pregnancy, it doesn’t cause any birth defects, but babies are more likely to be bigger.
In gestational diabetes, the consistent high blood sugar in the mother’s body can get into the child’s system, too, as glucose can easily cross the placental barrier. The baby’s pancreas is then forced to make extra insulin to get rid of this blood glucose. More glucose in the system produces more energy, which accumulates as fat and increases the chance of giving birth to macrosomia, a “fat baby.” They are more likely to have birth injuries as they might get wedged in the birth canal. You may also need a C-section.
As the baby’s pancreas is used to secreting high amounts of insulin, newborns might end up having low blood glucose at the time of birth and a higher risk of breathing problems. These babies are also at risk of type-2 diabetes and obesity (2).
2. Recurrent Stress
While pregnant, you may get a spike in the stress hormone, cortisol, which releases a protein that converts into sugar and spikes insulin. If this increase is continuous, you might develop insulin resistance, which leads to gestational diabetes (3).
In the worst cases, untreated gestational diabetes can cause stillbirth.
Pre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia (PE) refers to new hypertension that is diagnosed at or after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It is accompanied by proteinuria (a sign of kidney damage) or at least one other organ dysfunction.
In this condition, systolic or diastolic blood pressure is ≥140 or ≥90 mmHg, respectively. The pregnant woman suffers from high blood pressure that very often poses a threat to the life of the mother and her child (4).
In fact, PE is the main cause of fetal and maternal morbidity and mortality even to this date, as it can prevent the baby from getting enough blood, resulting in preterm birth and/or low birth weight. It may also cause the placenta to separate from the uterus, depriving the baby of oxygen and nutrients and causing heavy bleeding in the mother. This may cause stillbirth (5).
To learn more about blood pressure, read The 4 Stages of Hypertension.
Prevalence of Pre-eclampsia With Gestational Diabetes
Studies have found that there exists a relationship between pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes (6). Even though lifestyle changes and obesity are the common factors behind the increasing number of cases of both complications, non-obese women with GDM were also associated with the occurrence of PE. However, the association is lower than obesity, and some studies fail to find a link between PE and GDM.
Finally, it has been concluded that GDM can be independently associated with the occurrence of PE in singleton pregnancy. But, it always poses a major risk factor for recurrent and new postnatal PE in the absence of a PE history.
History of GDM in the first pregnancy is also a risk factor for PE in the second pregnancy (7).
How to Prevent Gestational Diabetes and Pre-eclampsia
As the root cause of pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes is insulin resistance, managing it is the most important way to prevent the two metabolic complications. Here are some techniques that may help:
Maintain a Healthy Diet
Having certain micronutrients such as chromium, B-vitamins, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin D3, zinc, and iodine during pregnancy can help with insulin resistance and crucial in diets for diabetics.
Additionally, you should avoid processed foods, refined flour, and sugary drinks. They are an integral part of diabetes management solutions.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Ensuring that you get enough exercise and keep your weight to the recommended level may help you reverse diabetes and prevent PE and GDM. Additionally, you should try to cut down on smoking and alcohol levels, get enough sleep, and keep your stress levels down.
Medical Disclaimer
Dario Health offers health, fitness, and nutritional information and is designed for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon. The information provided might not be accurate, full, complete, or effective. Accordingly, it is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for professional medical advice. You are strongly advised to consult your physician or qualified health professional regarding your condition and appropriate medical treatment. Individual symptoms, situations, and circumstances may vary.
Resources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6274679/
- https://diabetes.org/diabetes/gestational-diabetes/how-will-this-impact-my-baby
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137155/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570611/
- https://wfmchealth.org/maternity-health-care/what-to-know-about-pre-eclampsia-and-gestational-diabetes/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6882194/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8889031/
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