Pregnancy Information

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that may occur in a pregnant woman who did not already have diabetes. Gestational diabetes only occurs during pregnancy and develops between the middle and later part of a pregnancy. Diabetes means your blood sugar or glucose level is too high. Your body uses glucose for energy. Too much glucose in your blood can enter your baby who can stores it as fat and grow larger than normal. In the baby, gestational diabetes can cause early birth and respiratory problems, low blood sugar and seizures, and lead to conditions like type 2 diabetes later in life. If gestational diabetes remains untreated, the baby may die before or shortly after birth. For the mother, gestational diabetes can cause high blood pressure and preeclampsia, and increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes later on. However, if gestational diabetes is diagnosed, it may be controlled under a doctor's care by exercising and eating a healthy diet and sometimes taking insulin to lower blood sugar.

• Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
• Am I at risk for gestational diabetes? Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - NICHD downloadable booklet
• What I need to know about Gestational DiabetesExit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - NIDDK
• What I need to know about Preparing for Pregnancy if I Have DiabetesExit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - NIDDK
• Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
• What I need to know about Gestational Diabetes Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - CDC
• Gestational Diabetes and Pregnancy Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

A mother's high blood pressure during pregnancy is a condition called preeclampsia. Preeclampsia causes decreased blood supply to the baby, reducing oxygen supply and nutrient absorption. Preeclampsia can also lead to eclampsia, which can cause seizure or even coma in the mother. For more information on Preeclampsia, visit Medline Plus's Preeclampsia Medical Encyclopedia entryExit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov 

• Preterm BirthExit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - CDC
• Premature Labor and Preterm Birth Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - March of Dimes

Prenatal substance abuse occurs when the mother uses drugs and/or alcohol, significantly increasing the risk for developmental and neurological disabilities in the developing fetus. Such exposure can cause severe neurological damage, brain damage, birth defects, and growth retardation in the substance-exposed newborn.  Alcohol use during this time can negatively impact babies and cause Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). FASDs are fully preventable if a woman does not drink at any time during pregnancy. For more information on the effects of substances on pregnancy, see the Alcohol/Substance Use During Pregnancy page. For information on FASD, visit the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder page

• FTIP 58: Addressing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - SAMHSA
• Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Resource Page Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the unexplained death of an infant under one year of age. Native American infants are about three times more likely to die of SIDS than caucasian infants. Most SIDS deaths are sleep related. In an effort to reduce SIDS, experts advise and a government campaign encourages the placement of infants on their backs to avoid suffocation from sleeping on their stomachs.

• About SIDS and Safe Infant Sleep Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  - NICHD SIDS information page
• Safe Sleep for Your Baby Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  [PDF - 462 KB] - American Indian/Alaska Native-focused brochure Safe to Sleep SIDS Prevention Campaign brochure from the NIC

• IHS Baby-friendly Breastfeeding Promotion and Support
• Breastfeeding A-Z Health Topic Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov - Womenshealth.gov

• Reproductive Health in Emergency Preparedness and Response Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  – CDC
• Disaster Safety for Expecting and New Parents Exit Disclaimer: You Are Leaving www.ihs.gov  – CDC