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During pregnancy, what complication is most dangerous for the fetus of a diabetic?

a) Premature birth
b) Macrosomia
c) Hypoglycemia
d) Respiratory distress syndrome

User Do Good
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The most dangerous complication for the fetus of a diabetic during pregnancy is Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), caused by insufficient pulmonary surfactant production due to premature birth.

Step-by-step explanation:

During pregnancy, the most dangerous complication for the fetus of a diabetic is Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). RDS is a condition that primarily affects prematurely born infants, where insufficient production of pulmonary surfactant leads to difficulties with lung inflation at birth.

Other related complications could arise from a premature birth triggered by maternal diabetes, such as difficulty in gas exchange due to the lungs not properly inflating, leading to low blood oxygen levels and high carbon dioxide levels. Pregnancy and diabetes are known to have a complex interrelationship. The third trimester of pregnancy sees a doubled demand for glucose, and in the case of uncontrolled diabetes, there can be an overproduction of ketone bodies leading to ketoacidosis which is dangerous for both the mother and the fetus.

User Kblau
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