Prenatal care is vital in helping ensure a healthy, full-term baby. An Oregon woman’s obstetrician should watch for potentially harmful complications that could affect the outcome of the birth, such as gestational diabetes. When this condition is not properly monitored and controlled, it can result in dangerous complications for a woman’s unborn child.
An Oregon woman does not need to suffer from Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes prior to pregnancy in order to suffer from gestational diabetes during pregnancy, which makes it something doctors need to watch for as a pregnancy progresses. As far as the mother is concerned, this condition is ordinarily rectified with the birth of the child. However, it can cause complications that harm the baby and could cause serious birth injuries.
Elevated sugar levels means extra sugar going to the fetus, which can result in a larger than normal baby, premature birth and delivery complications. The baby’s lungs may not develop appropriately if the mother’s gestational diabetes is not kept under control, which could lead to respiratory distress upon and after birth. The baby’s blood sugar levels can plummet after birth since the baby was overproducing insulin due to the amount of sugar passed through the mother’s blood to the baby during pregnancy.
An obstetrician should look for factors that could lead to a woman suffering from gestational diabetes and test for the condition when appropriate. If tests are positive, the mother may need insulin, but will certainly need to make dietary changes to control her blood sugar levels. In addition, she requires consistent monitoring and possibly emergency care in order to keep the condition under control in order to prevent it from affecting the unborn child.
When an obstetrician fails to provide a woman and her unborn child with the standard of care to which they were entitled, the baby and mother could suffer serious repercussions. The receipt of substandard care regarding gestational diabetes and other prenatal issues could rise to the level of medical malpractice. In order to know for sure, it may be worthwhile to discuss the situation with an attorney to determine whether legal action is appropriate.