Diabetes in pregnancy puts the fetus at risk in a number of ways. ...

[KimWrice]

Diabetes in pregnancy puts the fetus at risk in a number of ways. Nurses should be aware that:
 
  1. with good control of maternal glucose levels, sudden and unexplained stillbirth is no longer a major concern.
  2. the most important cause of perinatal loss in diabetic pregnancy is congenital malformations.
  3. infants of mothers with diabetes have the same risks for respiratory distress syn-drome because of the careful monitoring.
  4. at birth, the neonate from a diabetic mother is no longer in any greater risk.

Question 2

Concerning the association of maternal diabetes and other risk situations affecting mother and fetus, nurses should be aware that:
 
  1. diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can lead to fetal death at any time during pregnancy.
  2. hydramnios occurs approximately twice as often in diabetic pregnancies.
  3. infections occur about as often and are considered about as serious in diabetic and nondiabetic pregnancies.
  4. even mild to moderate hypoglycemic episodes can have significant effects on fet-al well-being.

[Mholman93]

Answer to Question 1

2
1. Incorrect. Even with good control, sudden and unexplained stillbirth is still a major con-cern.
2. Correct. Congenital malformations account for 40 of perinatal deaths.
3. Incorrect. Infants of diabetic mothers are at increased risk for respiratory distress syn-drome.
4. Incorrect. The transition to extrauterine life is often marked with hypoglycemia and other metabolic abnormalities.

Answer to Question 2

1
1. Correct. Prompt treatment of DKA is necessary to save the fetus and the mother.
2. Incorrect. Hydramnios occurs 10 times more often in diabetic pregnancies.
3. Incorrect. Infections are more common and more serious in pregnant women with di-abetes.
4. Incorrect. Mild to moderate hypoglycemic episodes do not appear to have significant ef-fects on fetal well-being.