Rates of gestational diabetes, a dangerous pregnancy condition, are surging by 70 per cent across Australia.
The disease is a form of high blood sugar during pregnancy, which raises the risk of mothers developing type-2 diabetes tenfold, putting their babies in danger.
“Anything related to diabetes increasing in Australia is concerning,” Dr Gary Deed told 9News.
“It can make (the babies) fatter and bigger, and then that makes the birth harder,” Chief Medical Officer of Diabetes Australia Professor David Simmons said.
That can lead to serious complications like preeclampsia and preterm birth.
“If the baby is big then it can have difficulty coming out of the birth canal because the fat can be on the shoulders, and that can lead to a break in the collar bone, damage to the nerve,” Simmons said.
In a study of more than 1.8 million women, the rate of gestational diabetes has skyrocketed from 8.2 per cent to 12.2 per cent nationally.
The biggest jumps were in the Northern Territory, where it tripled in six years, while cases doubled in Victoria.
NSW recorded the smallest increase, but still a rise of 4 per cent.
Experts say the biggest risk factor is the nation’s growing obesity epidemic.
“We do know that lifestyle now is not how it used to be, that people are eating many more calories perhaps than they used to,” Simmons said.
“Physical activity is not to the same level as it used to be.”
Certain ethnic groups and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds have also urged to be cautious.
“Because there are many challenges to eating healthy food which can often be more expensive, for example, or may not be able to be readily accessed by some people,” Simmons said.
Experts say seeing a GP in the early stages of pregnancy is key to managing and preventing gestational diabetes.
Those found to be at risk can receive support to monitor their weight and glucose levels.
