Gestational Diabetes - Risks, Causes, Prevention!

Gestational Diabetes

What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational Diabetes is diabetes that is found for the first time when a woman is pregnant. The expecting mother develops large amount of sugar in her blood which generally resolves itself after baby's birth - unlike other types of diabetes which are lifelong conditions.

How does Gestational Diabetes develop?

Gestational diabetes develops when the body cannot produce enough insulin - a substance produced by pancreas which regulates the amount of sugar available in the blood for energy and enables any sugar that isn't immediately required to be stored. The pregnant women has to produce extra insulin to meet baby's needs, if her body can't manage this, she may develop gestational diabetes. Blood sugar levels may also rise because the hormonal changes of pregnancy interfere with insulin function. Gestational diabetes usually develops during the last half of pregnancy.

Risk Factors

•    Women who are obese.
•    Women with high blood pressure
•    Women listed positive for sugar in urine during antenatal checkup.
•    Women who are above 25yrs of age.
•    Women with family history of type 2 diabetes.


How is Gestational Diabetes Treated?

Gestational Diabetes can be treated by keeping blood glucose level in a target range. Proper diet, physical activity and insulin if required plays important role in maintaining blood glucose levels.

•    Dietary Tips

1.    Have small frequent meals i.e. six small meals in a day.
2.    Limit sweets.
3.    Include more and more fiber in your diet in form of fruits, vegetables, whole grain bread and cereals.
4.    Carbohydrates should be 40%-45% of the total calories with breakfast and a bedtime snack containing 15-30 grams of carbohydrates.
5.    Drink 8-10 glasses of liquids/day.
6.    Avoid Trans fats, fried foods.

•    Physical activity


1.    Reach and maintain a reasonable weight.
2.    Be physically active for 30 min. most days.
Physical activity can help the mother reach her blood glucose targets.

•    Take insulin as directed, if your doctor decides you need this medicine. Insulin is not harmful to your baby.



How Gestational Diabetes affects pregnancy?

•    Excess growth: Extra glucose will cross the placenta, which triggers your baby's pancreas to make extra insulin, which means baby will grow larger and therefore there will be chance of C-section.

•    Jaundice: Baby may develop jaundice and have breathing problems if he has to be born surgically.

•    Type 2 diabetes later in life.

•    Babies of mother who have gestational diabetes have higher risk of developing obesity and type2 diabetes later in life.