Fetal Complications
Immediate Complications
Premature Birth. Due to early induction of labor before
39 weeks of gestation and/or premature rupture of membranes,
there is a risk of preterm delivery. Although all the
necessary precautions are undertaken prior to induction
of early labor, newborns are still under the risk of complications
associated with prematurity, including difficulties
in respiration and feeding, infection, jaundice, neonatal
intensive care unit admission and perinatal death.
Shoulder Dystocia and Erb�s Palsy. One of the most serious
complications of vaginal delivery in macrosomic
babies is shoulder dystocia which is associated with birth
trauma. Newborns with a birth weight of 4,500 g or more
carry a 6 times higher risk of birth trauma [17] , and the
risk of brachial plexus injury is approximately 20 times
higher when the birth weight is above 4,500 g [18] .
Hypoglycemia at Birth. One of the most common metabolic
disorders of the neonate of a GDM mother is hypoglycemia.
It occurs due to the hyperinsulinemia of the
fetus in response to the maternal hyperglycemia in utero.
Hypoglycemia can lead to more serious complications
like severe central nervous system and cardiopulmonary
disturbances. Major long-term sequelae include neurologic
damage resulting in mental retardation, recurrent
seizure activity, developmental delay and personality disorders.