The previous answers are good, too add to them, high blood sugar can also harm the placenta and can increase your risk of developing preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy). The reason for this is that sugar is a large cell (talking chemistry here, sorry). With high sugar levels there are more of these large cells running through your blood. When the sugar molecules get to the tiny tiny blood vessels (like capillaries in your finger, or small vessels around your heart) they can cause tiny tears that your body tries to fix but clotting. This can cause high blood pressure among other things.

You are also at risk for having an abnormally large (think 10+ pounds) baby if you don’t control your sugar levels. Another problem is these babies after delivery can have problems controlling there blood sugars and actually drop there sugar levels severly after birth because they are no longer getting that really sugary blood after delivery. For that reason babies of gestational diabetics who are uncontrolled may spend there first days in NICU.

The good thing though is that with diet and good medical treatment you can avoid all the complication by keeping your blood sugar in a good level. I think they usually like it below 150. In my patients (critical care, not OB) the ideal is 80-120.

Good luck, just watch your diet, check your blood sugar regularly, buy a diabetic cook book, go to classes and listen to your doctor.

nooo… i have gestational diabetes..the main point of not eating to much sugar is to keep your blood glucose in a normal range.. pretty much everything we eat gets broken down and deposited into the blood..the more glucose in the blood the more insulin the body must produce to break it down.. women with gestational diabetes dont make enough insulin to break down sugar..thats why we have to watch our diet.. if we eat to much sugar and our body cant produce enough insulin then our baby starts to produce too much to compensate for us.. when this happens the insulin acts like a steriod it makes the baby grow big.. this isn’t good because it makes labor hard. It can also make the respitiory system of the baby not work as well as it should. when your baby is born if blood sugar has been out of control during pregnancy your baby can have low blood sugar once it is out of the womb this is because it has come from such a sugary environment and its body is still making to much insulin. i hope that helps a little bit.. it actually sounds alot more scary then it is.. this is my first pregnancy and i found out i had diabetes at 26 weeks..i’ve had to take insulin to control my blood sugar but everything is is normal.. im now 37 weeks and my baby is healthy and not big at all… it does take a little more work but its worth it… good luck

No you will not die nor will your baby. You follow the the doctors instructions and it will fine!

Most likely a special diet will be given to you – follow it very carefully! The diet is the most important part of your treatment! If you do it right you can reduce your chance of having to take insulin.

If it is really bad the doctor may have you take insulin – but most pregnant women don’t have to – they simply must eat what they are supposed to when they are supposed to.

Your doctor will explain that your body is not processing the natural sugars in foods properly and that the special diet will make the sugar levels in your body level out and not spike up high or spike down too low.

it depends on how much sugar you have. there are a few different options. they are going to try to control your diabetes with your diet if possible and if not you will have to take pills or possibly injections while you’re pregnant. you will also be required to monitor your glucose levels and keep a record of it. gestational diabetes is also a warning sign for diabetes in the future.

Its not just “sugar” you need to be eating a whole new healthy diet….If too much “sugar” aka glucose in the blood is going to the placenta from you then the baby’s pancreas has to work overtime to create more insulin, if there is too much then it gets stored as fat and too much fat can lead to other problems for your baby. Most of the effects with come later in the pregnancy once the baby is fully developed. You really need to be careful Hyperglycemia is bad news when your not pregnant and much worse when it can effect a child to just watch what you eat, dont overindulge in sweets or carbs like breads and pastas they are just as bad. Try to get in some exercise as well just walking after meals would be sufficient. Take care and good luck.

.. special diet.. maybe insulin injections if needed.

People with GD are prone to have big babies.