What is Gestational Diabetes? How to Manage Gestational Diabetes For You and Your Baby’s Health

What is gestational diabetes, and what does it mean for your pregnancy? If you’ve been diagnosed with GD, it’s still possible to have a healthy pregnancy and baby. Let’s review the causes of gestational diabetes, management strategies, and how to effectively care for you and your baby’s health.

What is Gestational Diabetes and What Causes It?

Gestational diabetes, also known as gestational diabetes mellitus, is a type of diabetes that develops from your body not effectively using or producing insulin during pregnancy. 5 to 9 percent of pregnant women are diagnosed each year. Women can develop gestational diabetes during any phase of pregnancy. However, it is more likely to develop in the second and third trimester.

What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes mellitus occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin to regulate blood glucose properly. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, helps keep your blood sugar in check. Due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, the body’s cells may become more resistant to insulin, leading to higher blood sugar levels.

Who is at Risk for Gestational Diabetes?

Women who experience the following have an increased risk for developing GD:

• Family history of diabetes
• Obesity or high BMI
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Previous pregnancy with GD
• Too much weight gain during pregnancy

Key Prevention Strategies

While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent gestational diabetes, making healthy lifestyle choices before and during pregnancy can significantly reduce your risk.

Steps to Lower Your Risk

1. Maintain a Healthy Weight: If you’re planning to get pregnant, achieving a healthy weight beforehand can help minimize your risk.
2. Exercise Regularly: Engaging in activities like walking, swimming, or prenatal yoga can improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar regulation, though it’s important to consult with your doctor about pregnancy-safe exercises, as some can be dependent upon your overall pregnancy risk.
3. Prioritize a Whole Foods Diet: Focus on foods such as vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Avoid excess sugar and processed foods in your gestational diabetes snacks that can lead to blood sugar spikes.
4. Monitor Blood Sugar if You’re at Risk: If you have a history of gestational diabetes, PCOS, or a family history of diabetes, your doctor may recommend early testing and closer monitoring during pregnancy.

By taking these steps, you can improve your overall health and set yourself up for a smoother pregnancy.

How and When is Gestational Diabetes Diagnosed?

Women experience a variety of prenatal testing throughout their pregnancy. Depending on your health history, you will be screened for gestational diabetes around 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. If you are at risk, your doctor may recommend that you get tested earlier.

Gestational Diabetes Symptoms

Generally, symptoms of gestational diabetes are relatively mild. Symptoms include frequent urination, excessive thirst, fatigue, and nausea. Oftentimes, there are little to no signs of gestational diabetes. Women will typically not know they have GD until they are tested by their healthcare provider.

Testing and Diagnosis

Glucose tests are a blood test used to diagnose gestational diabetes. Here are two of the most common ways doctors test pregnant women for this type of diabetes:

• Glucose screening test: For this test, you are instructed to drink a glucose drink and then have blood drawn one hour later. If the test determines your blood sugar is higher than 140 mg/dL, you will need to complete additional testing.
• Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT): This follow-up test is similar to the initial test except the drink typically contains more sugar. During this test, your blood sugar is checked every 2-3 hours. OGTT is the test healthcare providers typically use to diagnose GD.

How Does Gestational Diabetes Affect the Baby?

Receiving a gestational diabetes diagnosis can be stressful. It’s completely normal to have questions about how this may affect you and your baby. Rest assured, women with GD can still go on to have happy and healthy babies. There are some risk factors to be aware of.

If you are diagnosed with GD, your baby is at a higher risk for the following:

• Higher Birth Weight (Macrosomia): Excess sugar in your bloodstream can cross the placenta, causing your baby to gain extra weight. This can lead to a larger-than-average baby, which may make delivery more challenging and increase the risk of birth injuries.
• Low Blood Sugar After Birth (Neonatal Hypoglycemia): After birth, your baby is no longer receiving excess glucose from you, which can cause their blood sugar levels to drop too low. In some cases, babies may need extra monitoring or treatment to stabilize their blood sugar.
• Premature Birth: Uncontrolled GD can increase the likelihood of preterm labor and delivery before 37 weeks. Babies born early may face challenges with breathing, feeding, and staying warm.
• Breathing Problems: Babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes may have underdeveloped lungs, increasing the risk of respiratory distress syndrome. This condition can make it difficult for them to breathe properly after birth.
• Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Later in Life: Babies exposed to high blood sugar levels in the womb are at higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes as they grow older. Encouraging a balanced diet and an active lifestyle can help lower this risk.
• Stillbirth: In rare cases, poorly managed GD can increase the risk of stillbirth. However, with proper prenatal care, monitoring, and blood sugar management, this risk can be significantly reduced.

How Does Gestational Diabetes Affect the Mother?

Gestational diabetes can increase pregnancy complications for the mother. It’s important to discuss your prenatal care with your doctor to develop a treatment plan that is right for you.

Women with GD are at an increased risk for:

• High Blood Pressure: Elevated blood sugar levels can contribute to high blood pressure during pregnancy, which may increase the risk of complications during delivery.
• Preeclampsia: This serious condition, marked by high blood pressure and organ damage, can lead to complications for both mom and baby. It often requires close monitoring and, in some cases, early delivery.
• Having a C-Section: Larger babies can make vaginal delivery more difficult, increasing the likelihood of needing a C-section, or surgical delivery.
• Developing Diabetes Later in Life: Having gestational diabetes increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes after pregnancy. However, lifestyle changes such as healthy eating and regular exercise can help lower this risk.

How is Gestational Diabetes Managed?

It is typically recommended to manage gestational diabetes by monitoring your blood sugar, eating a well-balanced diet, and staying physically active.

Monitoring Blood Sugar

Regularly checking your blood sugar helps you stay on track. Your healthcare provider will guide you on how often to test and what your target blood glucose levels should be. Tracking your readings can help identify patterns and help make necessary adjustments to your diet and lifestyle.

Eating a Balanced Diet

A balanced diet plays a major role in managing the disease and maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Choose fiber-rich vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats to stabilize blood sugar. Pairing carbohydrates with protein can prevent spikes, and avoiding processed sugars can help maintain steady glucose levels throughout.

Here are some examples of the best foods to incorporate into your diet:

• Fiber-Rich Vegetables: Leafy greens (spinach, kale, arugula), broccoli, Brussels sprouts, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, and cauliflower.
• Lean Proteins: Chicken breast, turkey, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, cottage cheese, salmon, and beans.
• Whole Grains: Quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats, barley, and whole grain pasta.
• Healthy Fats: Includes avocados, tree nuts (almonds, walnuts), seeds (chia, flax, pumpkin), olive oil, and omega-rich fish such as salmon.

Incorporating Frequent Exercise

Physical activity helps your body use insulin more effectively. Safe exercises like walking, prenatal yoga, or swimming can support blood sugar control. Always check with your healthcare provider before starting a new routine.

By combining these strategies with regular prenatal care and dietitian support, you can manage gestational diabetes effectively and support both your health and your baby’s well-being.

What Support and Medical Care is Needed for Gestational Diabetes?

It is important to have a well-rounded team of professionals to support you as you navigate gestational diabetes. Your healthcare team will play a key role in providing support and evidence-based resources to keep you and your baby healthy.

Examples of support include:

• Regular Prenatal Checkups: Frequent monitoring by your doctor or midwife ensures that your baby is growing as expected and that your blood sugar levels are staying within the recommended range.
• Consulting a Registered Dietitian: A dietitian can help create a personalized meal plan to keep blood sugar stable while ensuring you get the nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy.
• Medication Management: If diet and exercise alone aren’t enough to control blood sugar, your doctor may prescribe insulin or oral medications to help keep levels within a safe range.
• Postpartum Follow-Ups: After delivery, it’s important to monitor your blood sugar to see if levels return to normal. Many women go on to have normal blood sugar after giving birth, but some may need continued care.

What is the Prognosis for Gestational Diabetes?

For most women, gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that resolves after childbirth. However, it’s important to take steps to protect your long-term health. In many cases, blood sugar levels return to normal shortly after giving birth. However, continued monitoring is essential to ensure that blood sugar remains stable postpartum.

Long-term, women who have had gestational diabetes are at a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Additionally, babies born to mothers with GD may have an increased risk of childhood obesity and developing type 2 diabetes as they grow older. Because of these potential risks, regular blood sugar screenings and a proactive approach to health are crucial.

Get Help With Gestational Diabetes With a Dietitian

Gestational diabetes can feel overwhelming at first, but with the right strategies and support, you can successfully manage it. Staying proactive with your nutrition, exercise, and prenatal care will help you maintain stable blood sugar levels and support a healthy pregnancy.

If you’re looking for expert guidance to manage your diet during pregnancy, our registered dietitians are here to help—schedule a session today!