Gestational Diabetes in Pregnancy Compensation Claims

Pregnancy is difficult enough without the added stress of medical oversights. If you've been a victim of undiagnosed gestational diabetes or mismanaged diabetes during pregnancy, we can help.

Our medical negligence solicitors will help you claim the compensation you need to get your life back on track.

What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a condition that occurs in pregnancy.

The body cannot produce enough insulin which causes blood glucose levels to rise. Unlike Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, it only affects pregnant women. It most often develops after 28 weeks gestation and usually resolves after childbirth.

Both gestational diabetes and pre-existing diabetes (whether Type 1 or Type 2) must be carefully managed in pregnancy to prevent complications for the mother and child.

Who Is Considered High Risk For Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational Diabetes can affect any woman during pregnancy. However, several factors can increase a woman's risk of developing it:

• Age: Women over the age of 25 are more susceptible.
• Weight: Being overweight prior to pregnancy.
• Family history: A family history of diabetes can elevate risks.
• Previous occurrence: Women who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy.
• Past births: Delivering a baby weighing over 9 pounds in past pregnancies.

Common Causes of Diabetes Compensation Claims

Claims for compensation often arise from negligence in medical care. during pregnancy. Here are some common causes that lead to such claims:

Failure to Diagnose or Late Diagnosis

This is one of the most common causes of claims. Medical professionals might fail to detect diabetes during routine check-ups. This can lead to complications for both the mother and the baby. 

Poor Monitoring

Pregnant women at risk of developing diabetes need regular monitoring. Those already diagnosed with it, also regular check-ups. Failure to carry out regular blood glucose tests or other relevant checks can lead to complications..

Misinterpretation of Test Results

Mistakes can happen when interpreting or communicating test results. This can lead to either a lack of necessary treatment or the wrong treatment being given altogether.

Poor Management and Advice

Failing to provide proper advice about diet, medication, and monitoring can lead to complications.

Failure to Recognise and Manage Complications

Issues which can arise if diabetes in pregnancy goes unmanaged include the following:

• Macrosomia (where the baby grows too large)
• Pre-eclampsia (a type of high blood pressure that can occur in pregnancy)

Negligence During Delivery

Medical professionals can sometimes fail to plan for problems which can arise during the birth itself, even where it is known the mother has pre-existing type 1 or 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes. Such errors can harm both the mother and baby.

Lack of Follow-Up Post Delivery

When a mother has had gestational diabetes, or where a mother suffers from pre-existing type 1 or 2 diabetes, she and her baby need regular monitoring. This is to ensure there are no complications resulting from it. Negligence in postpartum care can also be a cause for claims.

Medication Errors

Medication errors can also lead to complications. Potential medication errors include the following:

• Prescribing the wrong medication or dosage;
• Failing to provide medication when it's needed

Complications That Can Arise From Diabetes in Pregnancy

If gestational diabetes goes undiagnosed or either gestational or pre-existing diabetes is mismanaged, it can lead to various complications forboth the mother and the baby. These include:

For the Mother

• High blood Pressure: Gestational diabetes and pre-exiting diabetes increase the risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy.
• Preeclampsia: High blood pressure can escalate to preeclampsia. This is a serious condition that can threaten the lives of both the mother and the baby if not treated quickly.
• Future diabetes: Women who have had gestational diabetes are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
• Delivery complications: There's a higher chance of needing a Caesarean section in pregnant women with diabetes  This is because the baby can grow too large as a result of the mother’s higher blood sugar levels, making vaginal birth more risky.

For the Baby

• Macrosomia: Babies born to mothers with diabetes tend to be larger than average. This can cause complications during vaginal delivery including shoulder dystocia, where one or both of the baby’s shoulders become stuck during vaginal delivery. If poorly managed, such complications can result in avoidable and serious birth injuries, resulting in life-long disabilities for the child.
• Low blood sugar (Hypoglycaemia): Babies of mothers with diabetes may have very low blood sugar levels. This can lead to seizures and brain damage if not treated quickly.
• Jaundice: Babies are more prone to developing jaundice due to increased bilirubin levels in the blood.
• Respiratory distress syndrome: The baby might face breathing difficulties if born prematurely. This risk is higher in mothers with gestational diabetes or pre-existing diabetes.
• Increased chance of Type 2 Diabetes: Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes have a higher risk of becoming obese and developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
• Death: In very severe cases, poorly managed diabetes in pregnancy can result in the baby's avoidable death due to birth injury or other complications arising.
• Developmental Abnormalities: There's a slightly increased chance of the baby having birth defects, particularly where the mother’s diabetes is not appropriately managed early in the pregnancy.

Early detection and management of gestational diabetes and proper management of pre-existing diabetes in pregnancy is crucial to help reduce these risks.

Why Choose Ringrose Law?

At Ringrose Law, our motto is, ‘Where individuals count.’ Every person we represent is an individual, with individual experiences and needs. We understand that your experience gestational diabetes is different to the next person.

That's why we take an individual approach to every claim.

When you instruct us to represent you, we’ll;

1. Assign you an experienced medical negligence solicitor – to look after you case, from start to finish.
2. Give you their direct contact details – you’ll be able to get in touch with your solicitor whenever you need to.
3. Help you access the best possible treatment – from medical care to physiotherapy and rehabilitation.
4. Act with care and compassion - we'll treat your experience and your case with the utmost care, not only to make it as stressful as possible, but to also  achieve the maximum amount of compensation you deserve.