Pregnancy also poses certain risks to expectant mothers with diabetes. Minor risks may include polyhydramnios (excess amounts of amniotic fluid during pregnancy, which may cause a distended belly), edema (swelling) and the development of skin infections, yeast infections and urinary tract infections. A main concern of many women with diabetes who are contemplating pregnancy is that pregnancy can worsen some diabetic complications, including:

• Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Low or high levels of glucose (blood sugar).
  
  
• High blood pressure (hypertension). Pregnancy can cause elevated blood pressure to escalate even further. In addition, women with diabetes are up to five times as likely to develop preeclampsia (also called toxemia), a condition characterized by high blood pressure, excess protein in the urine (proteinuria) and, often, fluid retention. Preeclampsia can lead to very serious complications including eclampsia, a condition involving seizures.
  
  
• Diabetic retinopathy. An eye disease that damages blood vessels in the retina.

• Autonomic neuropathy of the stomach (gastroparesis). A form of nerve damage caused by diabetes.
  
  
• Diabetic nephropathy. A disease that impairs kidney function.
  
  
• Cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis, heart conditions and stroke.

Women can reduce their risk of such complications by controlling their glucose and otherwise adhering to the diabetes management plan devised by their physician.