Treating Mild Gestational Diabetes Cuts Some Risks
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Treatment of mild gestational diabetes may reduce cesarean section rates and other maternal and fetal complication risks, but won’t prevent the most serious of outcomes …
Dietary intervention, blood glucose monitoring and insulin therapy … significantly cut the frequency of macrosomia, shoulder dystocia, cesarean delivery, and preeclampsia and hypertension in pregnant women with abnormal oral glucose tolerance …
But treatment brought no reduction in the primary composite outcome of stillbirth or perinatal death and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, hypoglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, or birth trauma …
… these results “clearly support” the treatment of even mild gesational diabetes … And treatment largely consisted of dietary management — only 7% of treated women required insulin — so there’s little risk from treating to counterbalance the benefits …
… treatment was associated with:
* Lower mean birthweight
* Less shoulder dystocia
* 21% lower risk of cesarean deliveries
* Less preeclampsia and gestational hypertension combined
…
Melissa Maimann, Essential Birth Consulting 0400 418 448