The Devastating Outcome of a Stillbirth Linked to High Blood Sugar Levels and Gestational Diabetes in a Pregnant Mother

A 32-year-old woman who was pregnant with her fourth child experienced a stillbirth due to high blood sugar levels and complications like acidosis or severe heart and neurological issues. She had a family history of type 2 diabetes, gave birth to a large baby before, had a large fetus size, polyhydramnios, high blood sugar levels, and symptoms of diabetes.

At 28 weeks of pregnancy, she was diagnosed with high blood sugar but did not take any measures to treat it. Subsequent prenatal check-ups revealed that the fetus was large and she had polyhydramnios. The woman experienced symptoms like excessive thirst and frequent urination but did not consider them serious.

A week before reaching 40 weeks, she went to the doctor and found that the fetal heart rate was slow. Once transferred to Bach Mai Hospital, it was determined that the fetus had not survived, leading to the need for a cesarean section. Dr. Nguyen Quang Bay, Head of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes at the hospital, mentioned that the patient had various risk factors indicating diabetes such as age over 35 years old, multiple pregnancies or undergoing IVF, family history of type 2 diabetes, being overweight or obese or having a history of polycystic ovary syndrome or gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy.

The patient’s HbA1C test result upon admission to the hospital showed high blood sugar levels from about three months ago. This resulted in the unfortunate outcome of stillbirth possibly due to complications like acidosis or severe heart or neurological issues. Doctors advise that pregnant women with risk factors such as being over 35 years old, having multiple pregnancies or undergoing IVF, a family history of type 2 diabetes, being overweight or obese or having a history of polycystic ovary syndrome or gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy should be screened for gestational diabetes within the first three months. It is essential that pregnant women without diabetes at their initial prenatal check-ups are rechecked at 24-28 weeks for any signs of gestational diabetes if diagnosed immediate treatment through diet exercise monitoring blood sugar levels at home regular consultations with an endocrinologist is necessary to ensure healthy pregnancy