Learn more about the causes of gestational diabetes, the effects on your baby and you as a mother, and how symptoms of high blood sugar in pregnancy or gestational diabetes can be managed.

What Causes of Gestational Diabetes (GD)1

The exact cause of gestational diabetes is not yet known. One reason could be that the hormones released by the placenta, which help the baby grow, prevent the insulin from working properly in the mother's body. This is called 'insulin resistance'.

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 hyperglycemia).

Healthy eating with Gestational Diabetes Meals

Eating healthy is an important part of any pregnancy, and it’s important for women with Gestational Diabetes. In general, the principles of healthy eating should be followed. 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.

Snacks for Gestational Diabetes

Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for managing gestational diabetes and ensuring a healthy pregnancy. Choosing the right snacks can help keep blood sugar levels stable while providing essential nutrients. Here are some good snacks for gestational diabetes that combine carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats to support both mother and baby.

  • Plain Greek yogurt with mixed berries and slivered almonds: Rich in protein, probiotics, antioxidants, and healthy fats.
  • Cottage cheese and peaches: Provides a balance of protein and natural sweetness with essential vitamins.
  • Dry-roasted edamame: A great plant-based protein source, packed with fiber and essential nutrients.

Carbohydrates have the most impact on your blood sugar!2

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 to manage Gestational Diabetes

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

Effects on you as the Mother

Blood sugar usually returns to normal levels after delivery. But if you’ve had it once, there is a two-in-three chance that it may reappear in future pregnancies. This is because it’s estimated7 that if gestational diabetes occurs in the first pregnancy, the mother has a 50% chance of having gestational diabetes in the second, and this chance increases after each pregnancy.

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

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

Effects on your Baby

Gestational diabetes is usually diagnosed in the second half of pregnancy, while the baby is actively growing. The most reliable way to detect it is through a blood sugar test, typically administered between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes must be treated to avoid negative consequences for you and the baby.

In gestational diabetes, the high blood sugar levels are passed from the mother’s to the baby’s blood. If the mother's blood sugar is 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). When used as an adjunct to routine blood glucose monitoring, continuous glucose monitoring can help to achieve A1C targets in diabetes and pregnancy. Therefore, continuous glucose monitoring during pregnancy is highly advised.

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.

Managing Gestational Diabetes2

It is important to follow the recommendations of your Healthcare Professional and begin, upon his advice, the prescribed treatment as soon as possible. The goal is to keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range that is comparable to pregnant women without gestational diabetes.

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 symptoms of high blood sugar in pregnancy (gestational diabetes) may help to reduce your risk of a cesarean section birth that may be necessary if your baby is too large2.

Avoiding Hypoglycemia5 - symptoms of low blood sugar in pregnancy

Type and duration of physical activities have different effects on blood sugar levels. Moderate exercises can lower blood sugar levels. Certain sugar-lowering medications, e.g. insulin, in combination with prolonged moderate exercising can cause hypoglycemia (blood sugar levels go too low, which can become dangerous).

Speak to your doctor if you take any medication to lower your blood sugar levels. On the other hand, intensive exercise can raise blood sugar levels, since the body releases stored sugar to cope with high energy demands. To be sure, test your blood sugar levels before and after exercise.

Checking your Blood Sugar During Gestational Diabetes is Important6

To prevent the negative consequences of gestational diabetes, your blood sugar levels should be kept within a certain target range. Blood sugar monitoring is carried out with a blood sugar meter. You simply take a drop of blood by pricking a finger and the meter tells you how much sugar is in the blood at that time. Ask your doctor about your individual blood sugar target range.

How to best prepare for Blood Sugar Tests

Monitoring your blood sugar levels on a regular basis plays a fundamental role to take appropriate treatment decisions8. To get reliable results, some basic preparations should be considered when performing a blood sugar test:

  • Since traces of sweat, moisture, etc. on the skin can influence measurements9, always wash your hands with soap and warm water, rinse and dry well
  • Lancets are single-use products: Make sure to use a new lancet for every blood sugar test
  • Follow the instructions according to the user guide of your blood sugar meter

These steps will help to obtain a clean blood sample.

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Sources:

  1. https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/gestational-diabetes. Accessed May 2024.
  2. https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/gestational-diabetes/how-to-treat-gestational-diabetes. Accessed May 2024.
  3. Noctor, E. (2015). Type 2 diabetes after gestational diabetes: The influence of Changing Diagnostic Criteria. World Journal of Diabetes, - 2 (cont) - 6(2), 234. https://doi.org/10.4239/wjd.v6.i2.234.
  4. https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/gestational-diabetes/how-will-this-impact-my-baby. Accessed May 2024.
  5. https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/blood-glucose-and-exercise. Accessed May 2024.
  6. American Diabetes Association. (2020). 14. Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy: Standards of Care in Diabetes. Diabetes Care 2020;43 (Suppl.1):S183-S192.
  7. https://diabetesjournals.org/care/article/24/4/659/23392/Rates-and-Risk-Factors-for-Recurrence-of. Accessed August 2024.
  8. Immanuel, J. et al. (2018). A perspective on the accuracy of blood glucose meters during pregnancy. Diabetes Care, 41(10), 2053–2058. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc18-0833.
  9. Ginsberg, B. H. (2009). Factors affecting blood glucose monitoring: Sources of errors in measurement. Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, 3(4), 903–913. https://doi.org/10.1177/193229680900300438.