[Guest]

Hey, do you know if there is any association between sacral agenesis and gestational diabetes. I mean infant born to diabetic mothers may be affected with sacral agenesis.
I have seen some questions about it but am not sure of the association. Please help

 

[Sabio]

Infants of diabetic mothers are predisposed to a variety of conditions including macrosomia because of hyperinsulinism because of maternal hyperglycemia and macrosomia predisposes them to birth trauma and shoulder distocia.
They may also hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia, and jaundice.
They at risk of polycythemia and cardiac congenital defects.

However, and interestingly, Sacral and Caudal agenesis risk is only increased in babies born to mothers who previously diabetics (not gestational diabetes) and that's an important distinction to make when answering USMLE questions.

 

[matz]

GDM

in addition to what Sabio mentioned, also IUGR is a complication of diabetes mellitus type 1 of mother and not gestational diabetus.

 

[rasheed]

I just want to add that the reason why gestational diabetes does not predispose to "structural" congenital disorders is because it's not there during the first trimester (organogenesis). Gestational diabetes (by definition) develops after week 20.