Big babies are typical in a complication of pregnancy called gestational diabetes, high blood sugars that put mother and baby at risk.
What a mom-to-be eats can treat the problem.
But this week's New England Journal of Medicine says, even blood sugar levels only slightly higher than normal can be dangerous, too.
Victoria Richmond is a brand new mother. She gave birth just one day ago. Though her first pregnancy was uncomplicated, during this one she developed gestational diabetes, high blood sugars during pregnancy.
These are real fears for women with that condition. But the new study lowers the bar even further regarding the blood sugar danger cutoff. It found that even sugars that were slightly high and not considered gestational diabetes increased the risk of problems for mother and child.
"What happens now and what's going to happen every year is that the number that us doctors are going to call you diabetic is going from 140 now its down to 130 next year," Dr. Jacques Moritz at St. Luke's-Roosevelt said. "I' not surprised if its down to 125."
Before and after pregnancy, these numbers are critical.
The risk of a poorly control maternal blood sugar are bigger babies, more c sections and higher blood sugar in the baby.
For a pregnant woman, avoiding those complications doesn't mean using drugs. Much of the time, all that are needed are exercise and watching the diet.
"Don't eat for two I tell my patients just eat for one." Dr. Jacques said. "Otherwise it'll lead to a lot of trouble."
Victoria followed that regimen to keep her sugar under control.
"I felt so much better this pregnancy," Victoria said. "And I think this was a lot of it and it came from eating correctly and exercising more than last time."
Victoria had a normal pregnancy and a normal delivery.
Her baby weighed just over seven pounds.
The take home message from this report is that any level of blood sugar that's higher than normal is a red flag that a pregnant woman should discuss with her doctor.
The test for these slightly elevated blood sugar levels and for gestational diabetes is done by drinking a sugary syrup and checking blood sugars a couple hours later.
