Hi,

Thanks for your query. I have seen the reports.

I am sorry to read that your baby has been diagnosed to have congenital anomaly. I understand your concerns.

Congenital malformations are more common in infants of diabetic women than in children of non-diabetic women. Risk of having a congenital baby is about 18% higher than normal non pregnant women. Two-thirds of birth anomalies involve the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Neural tube defects occur 13-20 times more frequently in diabetic pregnancies, and genitourinary, gastrointestinal, and skeletal anomalies are also more common.

It is notable that no increase in birth defects occurs among the offspring of fathers who have diabetes or the offspring of women who develop gestational diabetes after the first trimester. This suggests that periconceptional glycemic control is the main determinant of abnormal fetal development in diabetic women.

There is also elevated MSAFP in your girl friend. Ultrasound pictures you have sent does not show ribs in them. Hence I am sorry to say that there appears to be neural tube defect in your baby due to diabetic status of your girlfriend. Please get the ultrasound repeated after 2 weeks and if the same problem persists, your girlfriend may have to undergo termination of pregnancy.

I understand this is a bad news. But these anomalies are known to occur in diabetic women. I pray to god to give strength and support to you and your girlfriend to go through this painful period.

I hope I answered your query. I will be available to answer any other queries you have.

Regards,
Dr. Mahesh Koregol

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Hi,

Thanks for writing back.

I understand that sometimes position of the baby makes it difficult to see the complete picture of baby. But please visit the doctor again after about a week when probably the position would have been good enough to view ribs and vertebra.

I have already explained to you in detail about the possibilities. I explained about the cause and possibility of neural tube defects. If diagnosis confirms this, you will be advised to terminate the pregnancy.

I hope I answered your query. I will be available to answer any other queries you have. Please accept my answer if no more question and close the discussion.

Regards,
Dr. Mahesh Koregol

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Hi,

The medications what she is taking are fine. Folic acid helps in initial few weeks of pregnancy (upto about 8 weeks) when baby's organs are forming. But not now. The organ formation of the baby has completed. So unfortunately it is not of much use at this stage of pregnancy.

I hope I answered your query. I will be available to answer any other queries you have. Please accept my answer if no more question and close the discussion.

Regards,
Dr. Mahesh Koregol

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