THANDI would like to know whether a woman with type 2 diabetes can have a baby.

THANDI would like to know whether a woman with type 2 diabetes can have a baby.

The sugar in the blood of a woman with type 2 diabetes affects the size of the baby. If her blood sugar level is high, the baby gets too much nourishment and overgrows.

Babies who get too much sugar from their mother's blood collect fat around their shoulders and trunk, which can make a natural delivery difficult and dangerous.

Other risks to the mother include: high blood pressure and swelling of the hands and feet; and

urinary tract infections.

But the problems related to diabetes in pregnancy are manageable and preventable if the woman visits her doctor regularly during the pregnancy.

Women with diabetes should also get their blood sugar under control three to six months before they conceive to lessen the risk of birth defects. -

womenshealthmatters.ca; diabetesjournals.org