A 32-year-old woman was found to have high blood sugar levels during her fourth pregnancy, which went undiagnosed and untreated until the 40th week. By then, the fetal heart rate had slowed down, and the woman had given birth to a stillborn baby. The patient had a family history of type 2 diabetes and had previously given birth to a large baby weighing 4 kg.
During this pregnancy, the woman was diagnosed with gestational diabetes at 28 weeks but did not take any measures to treat it. Her prenatal check-ups revealed that she had polyhydramnios and experienced symptoms like excessive thirst and frequent urination, but she did not consider them serious.
In the week before reaching 40 weeks, the woman went to the doctor and discovered that her fetal heart rate was slow. She was transferred to Bach Mai Hospital where it was determined that the fetus had not survived, leading to the need for a cesarean section. Dr. Nguyen Quang Bay, Head of the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes at the hospital mentioned that the patient had various risk factors indicating diabetes such as being overweight or obese, having multiple pregnancies or undergoing IVF, a family history of type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes in previous pregnancies or being over 35 years old.
Upon admission to the hospital, her HbA1C test result showed high blood sugar levels from about three months ago which resulted in stillbirth possibly due to complications such as acidosis or severe heart or neurological issues. Doctors advise that pregnant women with risk factors should be screened for gestational diabetes within their first trimester so they can receive early treatment through dietary changes, exercise programs monitoring blood sugar levels at home and regular consultations with an endocrinologist to ensure a healthy pregnancy for themselves and their baby.
