How does gestational diabetes affect your baby?

If you have gestational diabetes and your blood sugar levels are too high, your baby’s blood sugar levels will be too high, as well, which will cause the baby’s pancreas to produce more insulin. The additional glucose and insulin can cause your baby to gain too much weight in utero, to the point that the baby may be too large to fit through your birth canal or to become injured during delivery. On top of that, babies who are born with a higher than normal birth weight because of gestational diabetes often go on to be overweight in childhood and adulthood.