One in 20 pregnancies are affected by gestational diabetes and, if not treated correctly, it can have devastating consequences before, during and after birth.

What is gestational diabetes?

This is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy. It happens when your body cannot produce enough insulin, which helps to control blood sugar levels. It can happen at any stage, but it is more common in the second or third trimester.

It is important the condition is detected and managed early to reduce risks to the mother and baby.

Untreated gestational diabetes

There are often no symptoms of gestational diabetes, which is why women with certain risk factors are tested for it with a glucose tolerance test during their pregnancy.

The risks of untreated gestational diabetes include larger babies (which can cause difficulties in delivery), low blood sugar in the baby, premature or still birth, preeclampsia (high blood pressure), polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid in the womb) and a future risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Medical negligence

If a medical professional fails to identify or appropriately treat gestational diabetes, and this causes harm to the mother or baby, you may have a claim for medical negligence.

Negligence can include not screening for gestational diabetes risk factors, not identifying symptoms, not performing a glucose tolerance test and the right time or misinterpretation of results, not providing the right treatment, not managing or monitoring the birth correctly or providing the right care after the birth.

Senior midwife Donna Ockenden has identified several cases where poor gestational diabetes care contributed to harm to babies and mothers during her two independent reviews into maternity services in Nottingham, Shrewsbury and Telford.

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