Shoulder Dystocia, Pregnancy, and Diabetes

Shoulder dystocia is one of the most common birth injuries. The degree of severity varies significantly within the .3 -2 births per 1,000 that are affected by this complication. The likelihood of shoulder dystocia increases if you are a mother with diabetes.

It is often said that is not possible to predict shoulder dystocia until the mother is actually delivering the baby. While that is technically true, there are risk factors such as maternal diabetes that increase the chances of shoulder dystocia and there are ways to minimize the risk.

Can Shoulder Dystocia be Prevented?
No, shoulder dystocia cannot be prevented because it cannot be accurately predicted. However, if you have Type I, Type II or Gestational Diabetes then there are things that you can do to lower your risk of delivering a baby that suffers the trauma of shoulder dystocia.

The best way to prevent shoulder dystocia is to keep your baby within an ideal birth weight of approximately 6 pounds to 8 pounds 13 ounces. Of course, this is not always possible and there are many factors that are not within the control of either the mother or her doctor.

Here are some things that you can do to keep your diabetes under control and maximize the odds of having a baby that is less than 8 lbs 13 oz:
· Allow your doctor to perform the recommended tests to determine if you have diabetes;
· Follow the diet prescribed by your doctor, nurse or nutritionist;
· Exercise regularly, as discussed with your doctor;
· Take oral medications or insulin as prescribed by your doctor;
· Test your blood sugar several times a day, as directed by your doctor, to make sure that your blood sugar levels are staying within your targeted range. Whenever you get a reading that is outside of the targeted range, contact your doctor.

It is hard to be diabetic and pregnant. However, it is well worth the effort that it takes to effectively manage your diabetes so that you may be able to prevent your baby from suffering a birth injury.