Preventing Gestational Diabetes

January 19, 2022 Women

Pregnancy & Weight

Finding out you are pregnant is such an exciting time! Knowing you are now caring for not just yourself, but your baby too, is a great motivator to help you eat healthy and stay active. The thing is, sometimes pregnancy can make this hard to do. When you’re pregnant, your appetite and hormones may change, which can make you want to eat a lot some days and very little others. While controlling what and how much you eat can be a challenge, it’s so important for a healthy pregnancy.

Hormone changes and gaining too much weight during pregnancy can lead to insulin resistance, which can cause an increase in your body’s blood sugar levels. This can cause excess weight gain — which while you are pregnant can lead to gestational diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes: What is it and why is it a problem?

Gestational diabetes is when blood sugar levels are higher than they should be during pregnancy. It can lead to problems for both mom and baby. A pregnant mom with high blood sugar could lead to a baby growing too fast and too big. If the baby is too large it may result in an unplanned, emergency C-section or difficult delivery. Another problem for the baby could be low blood sugar (also known as hypoglycemia) at birth. Long term, both women with gestational diabetes and their babies are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes later in life.

Who is at risk?

Anyone can get diabetes during pregnancy, but you are at higher risk if you:

Are overweight
Have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Have a family history of Type 2 diabetes
Previously had a baby weighing more than 9 lbs
Are Black, Latina, Asian, Pacific Islander or American Indian

Most health care providers screen moms-to-be for diabetes between the 24th and 28th week of pregnancy, when gestational diabetes is more likely to occur. However, if you are at higher risk, your doctor may order a screening test at your first prenatal visit.

The blood tests that are done are:

Glucose Challenge Test

This test consists of drinking a sugary liquid and getting your blood tested 1 hour later. If your test result is abnormal, your health care provider may order a more thorough test known as a glucose tolerance test.

Glucose Tolerance Test

Your blood sugar is tested 4 times over 3 hours. The first blood draw is done fasting (when you haven’t had anything to eat for 8-10 hours). Next, you are given a sugary drink and your blood sugar is tested again after 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours later. If two or more of the results are high, then you may be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Prevention

You can prevent diabetes in pregnancy by eating a healthy diet and staying active.

Eat high fiber foods (sources include fruits, vegetables, whole grains like whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole wheat couscous, quinoa and oatmeal)
Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
Avoid sugar-sweetened drinks (like soda, lemonade, iced tea and fruit juices)
Avoid skipping meals; this can lead to overeating later in the day

Treatment

If diabetes is caught early and moms control their blood sugar, women with gestational diabetes can have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

Depending on your blood sugar levels, your health care provider may ask you to test your blood sugar before and after meals, and advise you to limit your portions of high-carb foods like rice, pasta and breads. If your blood sugars remain high, medication may be needed. Medication can include pills or insulin. The goal of treatment is to control blood sugar levels to prevent problems for both mom and baby.

Prevention is key — talk to your health care team about your individual needs.