Why would big baby born of gestational diabetic mother have polycythemia?
When a mother has gestational diabetes, the blood sugar tends to stay higher than normal and babies grow faster and larger due to the increased availability of glucose. The baby, while growing at a faster rate, is overwhelming the immature lungs, liver and kidneys that have to take over complete functions when the baby is born. High sugar levels in the mother, mean high sugar levels for the baby. Organs grow larger in size to compensate for the bigger size of the baby and more blood is produced to deliver sufficient oxygen and nutrients to the baby in utero. Every baby is born with an over abundance of red blood cells. Unneeded red blood cells begin to die off immediately after birth because the baby no longer is obtaining its oxygen and nutrition from the placental The liver gets overwhelmed and jaundice can develop in any baby who has difficulty handling the excess red blood cells. A baby born to a diabetic mother will often have a tomato red appearance because of the over production
