The doctor must have experience with hypertension during pregnancy and the many anti-hypertensive medications. Diabetes Diabetes poses a particularly high-risk to the developing fetus and to the health of the pregnant woman. Diabetes must be tightly controlled before pregnancy begins to prevent fetal malformations. If blood sugars are too high, there can be damage to the placenta , resulting in miscarriage or fetal loss in late pregnancy. High blood sugars can also cause excessive fetal growth which places the baby at risk for birth injury.
Pregnancy always worsens diabetes.
Requirements for insulin increase as the fetus matures. If these requirements are not met, the mother is at risk for coma and shock. Poorly controlled diabetes may damage her kidneys, retina and heart. Proper management of diabetes during pregnancy requires enormous commitment on the part of both mother and doctor. Successful pregnancies result in a healthy mother and baby with no impact on the future health of either.