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Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. It can cause complications with delivery and long-term effects for both mother and baby.

If you're pregnant, you won't notice signs of gestational diabetes because there are no symptoms. That’s why all pregnant people receive a test for gestational diabetes at some point during the pregnancy.  

If left untreated, gestational diabetes can be harmful to you and can affect the growth and development of your baby.

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What Is Gestational Diabetes? 

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and usually goes away after you give birth.

Hormone changes during pregnancy hinder how your body uses insulin as it normally does, when you're not pregnant. Gestational diabetes occurs when your blood sugar is too high during pregnancy because of excess resistance to insulin.

Some women with gestational diabetes have very large babies or babies who are born with a low blood sugar level. Your ob-gyn will work with your pediatrician to ensure that your baby receives appropriate screening and care after birth.

In most cases, gestational diabetes goes away after your baby is born. However, you'll have an increased risk of developing diabetes later in life. It's important to receive follow-up care from your primary care doctor within a year of delivering your baby.

How common is gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is a common pregnancy complication that causes high blood sugar. About 5% to 10% of women get gestational diabetes during pregnancy.

What causes gestational diabetes?

Researchers don’t know why some women get gestational diabetes and others don’t.

The glucose released into your bloodstream after digesting food is normally controlled by insulin. But during pregnancy, your growing placenta produces high levels of hormones that can impair the function of insulin.

What are gestational diabetes risk factors and complications? 

Gestational diabetes risk factors

Some factors before and during pregnancy can increase your risk of gestational diabetes, such as:

  • Family history of diabetes.
  • Having had gestational diabetes in the past.
  • History of a large baby (over 9 pounds).
  • Major weight gain during pregnancy.
  • Metabolic dysfunction.
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  • Prediabetes.
  • Obesity.

Gestational diabetes complications for the mother

Gestational diabetes can increase the mother's risk of:

Gestational diabetes complications for the baby

Gestational diabetes also affects the baby, increasing their risk of:

  • Being large (over 9 pounds).
  • Being born early.
  • Delayed growth of some organs.
  • Low blood sugar at birth.
  • Type 2 diabetes later in life.

How can I prevent gestational diabetes?

The best way to prevent gestational diabetes is to achieve a normal body weight and form healthy eating habits before getting pregnant. Mothers should also try to follow guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy.

Your doctor may refer you to a UPMC nutritionist to help you learn how to regulate and stabilize your blood sugar.

Your nutritionist will provide tips that may include:

  • Avoiding sugars — You should avoid simple sugars, such as those in desserts, flavored teas, and sodas. Sugar can cause elevated blood sugar, which can lead to extreme fatigue, nausea, excessive thirst, and blurred vision. Check with your doctor or nutritionist before using artificial sweeteners.
  • Eating breakfast — Because your blood sugar is lowest in the morning, it's important to start your day with a balanced meal. A healthy breakfast may include eggs or peanut butter for protein, whole wheat toast for a complex carbohydrate, and a slice of melon.
  • Eating plenty of fiber — High-fiber foods — such as legumes, beans, fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — are digested slowly and help keep blood sugar levels stable.
  • Eating several small meals and snacks —Eating small meals and snacks throughout the day helps prevent drops and spikes in your blood sugar.
  • Limiting carbohydrates — Because refined carbohydrates and sugars are the chief contributors to spikes in blood sugar, you should choose whole grains instead of refined flour whenever possible. For breakfast, the suggested carbohydrate intake is 15 grams (about the size of a small bagel). Snacks should contain 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates (about the size of three graham cracker squares). For lunch and dinner, you should eat between 45 and 60 grams of carbohydrates (about one cup of rice or pasta and two-thirds cup of lima beans).

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What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes?

You won’t notice any gestational diabetes symptoms, which is why we test every woman during pregnancy. (That's one more reason to keep all of your prenatal appointments.)

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How Do You Diagnose Gestational Diabetes? 

To see if you have gestational diabetes, your ob-gyn or primary care doctor will have you undergo testing at around 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you're at higher risk, your doctor may test you sooner.

Tests to diagnose gestational diabetes

Your doctor will order tests to check for gestational diabetes:

  • Glucose challenge test — This is the first test every woman must have to screen for diabetes. In this test, you drink a glucose solution and wait one hour, and then your doctor draws blood and tests your blood sugar. If your blood glucose measures high — above 135 — you'll need to return for the oral glucose tolerance test.
  • Oral glucose tolerance test — For this test, you fast for eight hours and your doctor draws your blood and tests your blood sugar. Then, you drink a glucose liquid and the doctor checks your blood sugar every hour for the next three hours. Two or more high-glucose results confirm gestational diabetes.

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How Do You Treat Gestational Diabetes? 

It's vital to manage diabetes throughout your pregnancy to prevent problems for you and your baby.

Lifestyle changes

Most women can control their gestational diabetes symptoms by following a careful diet, exercising regularly, and making other lifestyle changes. You'll need to monitor your blood sugar every day and, in some cases, you may need to receive insulin injections.

Managing gestational diabetes through diet

If you're diagnosed with gestational diabetes, you'll also be referred to a UPMC diabetes educator and dietitian, who will help you learn about your condition and have a healthy pregnancy. They can create a meal plan with you or provide you with basic guidance on managing diabetes during your pregnancy.

Your diet should include:

  • Fruits and vegetables, especially eaten raw.
  • Lean protein like turkey or chicken.
  • Some healthy fats like eggs, nuts, and avocado.
  • Some whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, or wheat bread.

You should avoid foods high in sugar or simple carbohydrates, such as:

  • Cakes
  • Cookies
  • Fried food
  • Fruit juices
  • Pasta
  • Sodas
  • White bread

What does the doctor do during treatment for gestational diabetes?

Your doctor may conduct regular ultrasounds and nonstress tests to check the health of your baby.

How effective is treatment?

Women who have gestational diabetes are about 50% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes within the next 15 years. It's critical to maintain a healthy weight after pregnancy and to continue healthy eating habits.

Breastfeeding can help decrease your risk of long-term type 2 diabetes.

You should have a blood glucose test every few years to detect diabetes or prediabetes early.

Last reviewed by a UPMC medical professional on 2024-09-05.