Proportionally, do women with pre-existing diabetes suffer more complications with their pregnancies then those with gestational diabetes?

In general, a woman with pre-existing diabetes is more at risk for complications during pregnancy than one who develops diabetes during pregnancy. The risk depends on how well her glucose is controlled prior to conception and whether or not there are any secondary conditions related to diabetes such as nephropathy. Poor glucose control during the embryonic period places the fetus at greater risk of congenital abnormalities. Poor control during the pregnancy causes a greater risk for an overgrown baby and increases the risk of difficult delivery and stillbirth. Without kidney disease, there is a greater risk of preeclampsia (15 to 20%) then in a woman without diabetes. In the presence of kidney disease, the risk for preeclampsia is even worse (approximately 50%). Newborns have a higher rate of hypoglycemia, respiratory distress, cardiomyopathy and hyperbilirubinemia.

Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy are at greater risk of developing preeclampsia, difficult delivery and cesarean section. The newborns are also at similar risk as in mothers with pre-existing diabetes.

OWJ