Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes develops when the mother’s body cannot produce enough insulin for the extra needs during pregnancy.

Insulin is needed to make the sugar move from the blood into the cells, where the sugar is turned into energy. If there is not enough insulin, the levels of sugar in the blood become too high (so-called hyperglycaemia).

Carbohydrates have the most impact on your blood sugar!²

Avoid processed foods, since they contain empty calories. Instead, prefer vegetables and “natural” food. Watch your carbohydrate intake and test your blood sugar on a regular basis. Carbohydrates are nutrients that provide most of the energy for your body. Therefore, they are very important when it comes to healthy eating! There are different types of carbohydrates, which influence your blood sugar levels in different ways (quickly or slowly). This means that you have to watch the type and the amount of carbohydrates you eat.

Are you curious about how much carbohydrate you eat?
Start counting the carbohydrates⁴ in your meals, drinks and snacks now! The nutrition label tells you how much carbohydrate food it contains. For food without labels, such as fresh produce, you can estimate the amount of carbohydrate they contain. If you record your carbohydrate intake and your blood sugar levels before and two hours after eating, your diabetes care team can see how your body reacts to different meals and plan your individual medication (if you need any) and your meal plan accordingly. Speak to your doctor about the best diet for you.

Count your carbohydrates⁴
Depending on how many of the different carbohydrate types you eat, your blood sugar level will rise quickly or slowly. Therefore, carbohydrate counting is a good way to manage your blood sugar levels.

Diet and exercise
An individual dietary plan and regular physical activities are always part of the therapy. Healthcare professionals generally recommend moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, most days. This can include brisk walking, swimming, or prenatal yoga.³

Sometimes, the diagnosis of gestational diabetes reveals a pre-existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If the diabetes existed before pregnancy, it will not go away and the treatment will have to be continued after delivery of the baby.

Women who have had gestational diabetes are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life³.

In gestational diabetes the high blood sugar levels are passed from the mother’s to the baby’s blood. If the mothers blood sugar are higher than normal, then the baby also receives more sugar than normal. Storing this extra energy causes your baby to grow bigger and may lead to a condition called Large-for-Gestational Age (LGA).

Because of the extra insulin made by the baby’s pancreas, newborns may have very low blood sugar levels at birth and are also at higher risk for breathing problems. Babies born with excess insulin become children who are at risk for obesity and adults who are at risk for type 2 diabetes⁴.

An individual dietary plan and regular physical activities are always part of the therapy. Blood sugar checks and insulin injections may also be necessary. Successful control of gestational diabetes may help to reduce your risk of a caesarean section birth that may be necessary if your baby is too large².