If you are pregnant, excess amniotic fluid can increase your chances of developing gestational diabetes, characterized by high blood glucose levels. Having too much amniotic fluid may also be a signal that you have gestational diabetes. This disorder develops when pregnancy hormones block your insulin from functioning properly, causing an elevation in your blood sugar levels.
Symptoms
You may develop gestational diabetes without experiencing any symptoms. If you do experience symptoms, they will generally be mild, according to Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. Symptoms may include an increased thirst and increased need to urinate, as well as fatigue, nausea and vomiting. You may experience recurring infections, including vaginal, bladder or skin infections. Blurred vision is also a possible symptom of gestational diabetes, as is weight loss combined with an increased appetite.
Testing
If you develop gestational diabetes, it usually occurs past the halfway point of your pregnancy. You may be tested for gestational diabetes between week 24 and week 28 of your pregnancy. While an increased amount of amniotic fluid can point to gestational diabetes, the test for gestational diabetes doesn’t involve the amniotic fluid. Rather, you will likely be tested for gestational diabetes with an oral glucose test.
Amniotic Fluid
Amniotic fluid is what surrounds your unborn baby in the amniotic sac. It is a liquid that your unborn baby floats in while inside your womb. The amniotic fluid gets swallowed by your unborn baby and then released through its urine. If your fetus does not swallow and then absorb normal amounts of amniotic fluid, there may be too much amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac. This condition, known as polyhydraminos, can be caused by too much glucose in your bloodstream.
Problems
If you have too much amniotic fluid and too much glucose in your bloodstream because of gestational diabetes, problems may occur. Gestational diabetes can increase the birth weight of your baby. Delivering a large baby may result in birth trauma. You might need a cesarean section. Babies of mothers with gestational diabetes also have a greater risk of having low blood sugar for the first few days after being born. Gestational diabetes may also elevate your blood pressure to unhealthy levels. Typically, however, your pregnancy-induced diabetes will go away after you've given birth. It can, however, come back five to 10 years later. If you develop gestational diabetes, you should be routinely screened for diabetes afterward.
