Clinical presentation, Quercetin supplements, and initial evaluation of Prevrnting mellitus in adults Effects Prevneting advanced maternal age on Quercetin supplements Infants of diabftes with diabetes IMD Gestarional preexisting diabetes mellitus: Obstetric issues and management Gestational diabetes mellitus: Screening, diagnosis, and prevention Gestational diabetes mellitus: Glucose management and maternal prognosis Gestational diabetes mellitus: Obstetric issues and management Pregestational preexisting and gestational diabetes: Intrapartum and postpartum glucose management. Español Other Languages. Keeping accurate records helps to adjust insulin doses and can decrease the risk of complications. Click here for an email preview.

Preventing gestational diabetes -

However, gestational diabetes can increase your risk of other conditions. One of the most serious is preeclampsia , a pregnancy-specific disease that causes high blood pressure hypertension and can be fatal if not treated quickly. It usually starts after 20 weeks of pregnancy with additional symptoms.

Gestational diabetes is also associated with macrosomia , a condition in which your baby grows too big. Macrosomia is associated with a higher risk of emergency cesarean delivery. Gestational diabetes can also lead to your baby having:.

In cases of poorly managed gestational diabetes, your baby is at increased risk of stillbirth or neonatal intensive care unit admittance. Some research has found that babies born to people with gestational diabetes are more likely to develop:.

A doctor will order a gestational diabetes screening test during your second trimester. If you have certain risk factors, you may have the test done earlier in your first trimester.

The screening can be done in one of two ways. The first is called a glucose challenge test. The second test option is an oral glucose tolerance test. Many people are able to manage gestational diabetes through diet and exercise, which can be very effective in managing blood sugar levels.

A doctor will recommend a meal plan and exercise schedule. Exercises that are safe to perform during pregnancy include :. Avoid exercises that involve lying on your back or the potential for falling such as sports with lots of fast changes in direction.

A doctor will tell you what number range to look for. If your glucose is too high, call a doctor right away. A doctor will probably want to test your glucose levels in the office once a month to confirm your home readings.

This is because post-term delivery can increase your risks when you have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually goes away on its own after you give birth. A doctor will test your blood sugar levels 6 to 12 weeks after you give birth to make sure your levels have returned to what they usually are.

Even if your blood sugar is back to standard after your baby arrives, gestational diabetes puts you at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. You should get tested every 3 years to make sure your blood glucose levels are within the usual range.

You can decrease this risk by:. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. VIEW ALL HISTORY. Gestational diabetes causes high levels of blood sugar during pregnancy.

Learn about symptoms, treatments, diet, prevention, and more. The gestational diabetes test is an important part of prenatal care, and all pregnant women should receive it. Learn what to expect. Find out about…. Pregestational diabetes occurs when you have diabetes before becoming pregnant.

Early delivery is more likely with gestational diabetes. If you have gestational diabetes, it's important to have prenatal care until you deliver. Many people with gestational diabetes are able to deliver their babies at full term of 39—40 weeks.

But that delivery may be earlier if there are…. Gestational diabetes is a risk factor for childhood obesity. If you have gestational diabetes, eating snacks can help keep your blood sugar levels consistent throughout the day.

Here are 25 healthy snack ideas. If you have gestational diabetes, getting physical exercise can be an important part of your healthcare plan. Exercise can help reduce your blood…. A Quiz for Teens Are You a Workaholic?

How Well Do You Sleep? Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Can You Prevent Gestational Diabetes? Medically reviewed by Wendy A.

Satmary, MD — By Lisa C. Baker — Updated on November 4, What are the risk factors for gestational diabetes? How can I lower my risk of gestational diabetes?

What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes? Having gestational diabetes can increase your risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy. It can also increase your risk of having a large baby that needs to be delivered by cesarean section C-section.

Your blood sugar levels will usually return to normal after your baby is born. You can lower your risk by reaching a healthy body weight after delivery.

Visit your doctor to have your blood sugar tested 6 to 12 weeks after your baby is born and then every 1 to 3 years to make sure your levels are on target.

Talk to your doctor about how much weight you should gain for a healthy pregnancy. You can do a lot to manage your gestational diabetes. Go to all your prenatal appointments and follow your treatment plan, including:. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search. Español Other Languages.

Gestational Diabetes. Español Spanish Print. Minus Related Pages. Follow a healthy eating plan to nourish you and your baby. Preventing Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes During Pregnancy Diabetes and Women Insulin Resistance Diabetes Articles Infographics. Last Reviewed: December 30, Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More women Quercetin supplements Prevennting diagnosed diabtees gestational diabetes each year, dibaetes it affecting Preventig 1 Quercetin supplements 20 Recovery remedies during pregnancy. Selenium women have a higher risk of Preventing gestational diabetes it because of gestatjonal factors like living with Preventint or Preventing gestational diabetes or having a family history. Find out more below. This includes getting support to manage your weight, eat healthily and keep active before pregnancy. The best way to reduce your risk of gestational diabetes is to try to be as healthy as possible before you get pregnant. If you are living with overweight or obesity, you can consider getting support to lose weight, and following a healthy, balanced diet and taking regular exercise really help. It may Preventing gestational diabetes possible to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes Preventing gestational diabetes following a healthful diet and maintaining a moderate Prevenfing A Preventing gestational diabetes may choose to consume certain foods Perventing avoid others. Gestational Preventong develops when pregnancy hormones make a person resistant to the action of insulin. Without treatment, it can lead to a range of complications. Insulin is a hormone that helps to control blood sugar levels. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make the body resistant to insulin, leading to an increase in blood sugar. A pregnant person may be able to produce more insulin to compensate, but some cannot, which results in gestational diabetes.

Preventing gestational diabetes -

Cutting down on high fat and high sugar foods helps keep your weight healthy and lowers your risk of gestational diabetes. Choose healthier options for meals and snacks — use wholegrain instead of white breads and cereals, and eat plenty of vegetables.

Stay away from food and drinks that are high in fat crisps, chips, chocolate and fried foods or sugar fizzy drinks, sweets, cakes, biscuits and sugary cereals.

Healthy eating during pregnancy. You can stay at a healthy weight by eating healthily and exercising. You will gain about 0. If you are overweight, you can safely gain less than 0.

If you do not eat enough good food, you and your baby miss out. Healthy weight gain during pregnancy. Page last reviewed: 5 July Next review due: 5 July Home Health A to Z Gestational diabetes Back to Gestational diabetes.

Warning notification: Warning Unfortunately, you are using an outdated browser. The list of supported browsers: Chrome Edge FireFox Opera Safari. Prevention - Gestational diabetes Contents Why diabetes develops in pregnancy Prevention Treatment Labour and birth Risks After the birth.

Keep active The target is moderate intensity exercise. Information: Exercise during pregnancy. You may also be asked to have one or two ultrasound examinations to check on the growth and size of the baby.

See "Gestational diabetes mellitus: Obstetric issues and management". Nonstress testing — You may need tests to monitor the health of the baby during the later stages of pregnancy, especially if your blood sugars have been high, you are using insulin, or if you have any pregnancy-related complications eg, high blood pressure.

The most commonly used test is the nonstress test. This test is discussed in a separate topic review. See "Patient education: Postterm pregnancy Beyond the Basics ". If your blood sugar levels are close to normal during pregnancy and you have no other complications, the ideal time to give birth is between 39 and 40 weeks of pregnancy, no later than your due date.

If you do not give birth by your due date, you may be offered induction of labor or additional testing to monitor your and your baby's health. In most individuals with gestational diabetes and a normal-size baby, there are no advantages to a cesarean over a vaginal birth, although cesarean may be needed in any pregnancy, especially with a first baby.

Those with a very large baby may be offered cesarean birth before labor starts. The risks and benefits of cesarean birth are discussed separately.

See "Patient education: C-section cesarean delivery Beyond the Basics ". Your blood sugar levels will be monitored during labor. Most individuals have normal blood sugar levels during labor and do not need any insulin. Insulin is given if your blood sugar level becomes high.

High blood sugar levels during labor can cause problems in the baby, both before and after delivery. See "Pregestational preexisting and gestational diabetes: Intrapartum and postpartum glucose management". AFTER-DELIVERY CARE. After giving birth, most individuals with gestational diabetes have normal blood sugar levels and do not require further treatment with insulin.

You can return to your prepregnancy diet, and you are encouraged to breastfeed. See "Patient education: Deciding to breastfeed Beyond the Basics ". However, your doctor may check your blood sugar level the day after delivery to be sure that it is normal or near normal.

Pregnancy itself does not increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, having gestational diabetes does increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

After you deliver, you should have testing for type 2 diabetes. Typically, this is done between 4 and 12 weeks postpartum, ideally prior to your postpartum check-up. But it may be done in the hospital before you are discharged. Testing usually includes a two-hour glucose tolerance test GTT so that you are tested for both pre-diabetes and diabetes.

Risk of recurrent gestational diabetes — One-third to two-thirds of individuals who have gestational diabetes in one pregnancy will have it again in a later pregnancy.

If you are overweight or obese, weight reduction through diet and exercise can reduce this risk. Risk of developing type 2 diabetes — Individuals with gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, especially if they have other risk factors eg, family history of type 2 diabetes.

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is greatly affected by body weight. Individuals with obesity have a 50 to 75 percent risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while this risk is less-than percent in those who are a normal weight.

If you are overweight or obese, you can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by losing weight and exercising regularly. The American Diabetes Association ADA recommends that all persons with a history of gestational diabetes have testing for type 2 diabetes every one to three years after their initial post-pregnancy test for diabetes.

If you have elevations in your blood sugars in the pre-diabetes range at the time of your postpartum screening, the ADA recommends testing yearly testing. It is also recommended that you work with your primary care provider to eat a healthy diet, lose any excess weight, and exercise regularly to help decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular disease — Individuals who have had gestational diabetes in the past are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke.

While this is mostly tied to the risk of type 2 diabetes see above , even those who do not develop type 2 diabetes appear to have a small increase in their risk of heart disease later in life. Continuing to make healthy lifestyle choices such as eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding smoking can help minimize this risk.

See "Patient education: Diet and health The Basics ". Birth control — Individuals with a history of gestational diabetes can use any type of birth control after pregnancy. A review of all of the birth control options is available separately.

See "Patient education: Birth control; which method is right for me? Beyond the Basics ". Your health care provider is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your medical problem.

This article will be updated as needed on our web site www. Related topics for patients, as well as selected articles written for health care professionals, are also available. Some of the most relevant are listed below. Patient level information — UpToDate offers two types of patient education materials.

The Basics — The Basics patient education pieces answer the four or five key questions a patient might have about a given condition.

These articles are best for patients who want a general overview and who prefer short, easy-to-read materials. Patient education: Gestational diabetes The Basics. Beyond the Basics — Beyond the Basics patient education pieces are longer, more sophisticated, and more detailed.

These articles are best for patients who want in-depth information and are comfortable with some medical jargon. Patient education: Preeclampsia Beyond the Basics Patient education: Glucose monitoring in diabetes Beyond the Basics Patient education: Type 2 diabetes: Insulin treatment Beyond the Basics Patient education: Postterm pregnancy Beyond the Basics Patient education: C-section cesarean delivery Beyond the Basics Patient education: Deciding to breastfeed Beyond the Basics Patient education: Birth control; which method is right for me?

Beyond the Basics. Professional level information — Professional level articles are designed to keep doctors and other health professionals up-to-date on the latest medical findings.

These articles are thorough, long, and complex, and they contain multiple references to the research on which they are based. Professional level articles are best for people who are comfortable with a lot of medical terminology and who want to read the same materials their doctors are reading.

Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and initial evaluation of diabetes mellitus in adults Effects of advanced maternal age on pregnancy Infants of mothers with diabetes IMD Pregestational preexisting diabetes mellitus: Obstetric issues and management Gestational diabetes mellitus: Screening, diagnosis, and prevention Gestational diabetes mellitus: Glucose management and maternal prognosis Gestational diabetes mellitus: Obstetric issues and management Pregestational preexisting and gestational diabetes: Intrapartum and postpartum glucose management.

htm , available in Spanish. The editorial staff at UpToDate would like to acknowledge Donald R Coustan, MD, and Michael F Greene, MD, who contributed to earlier versions of this topic review. Why UpToDate? Product Editorial Subscription Options Subscribe Sign in. Learn how UpToDate can help you.

Select the option that best describes you. View Topic. Font Size Small Normal Large. Patient education: Gestational diabetes Beyond the Basics.

Formulary drug information for this topic. No drug references linked in this topic. Find in topic Formulary Print Share. Author: Celeste Durnwald, MD Section Editors: David M Nathan, MD Erika F Werner, MD, MS Deputy Editor: Vanessa A Barss, MD, FACOG Contributor Disclosures.

All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. Literature review current through: Jan This topic last updated: Nov 16, If your blood sugar level is normal, no other tests are done.

AFTER-DELIVERY CARE After giving birth, most individuals with gestational diabetes have normal blood sugar levels and do not require further treatment with insulin. Patient education: Gestational diabetes The Basics Beyond the Basics — Beyond the Basics patient education pieces are longer, more sophisticated, and more detailed.

Beyond the Basics Professional level information — Professional level articles are designed to keep doctors and other health professionals up-to-date on the latest medical findings.

Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and initial evaluation of diabetes mellitus in adults Effects of advanced maternal age on pregnancy Infants of mothers with diabetes IMD Pregestational preexisting diabetes mellitus: Obstetric issues and management Gestational diabetes mellitus: Screening, diagnosis, and prevention Gestational diabetes mellitus: Glucose management and maternal prognosis Gestational diabetes mellitus: Obstetric issues and management Pregestational preexisting and gestational diabetes: Intrapartum and postpartum glucose management The following organizations also provide reliable health information.

Effect of treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus on pregnancy outcomes. N Engl J Med ; Dodd JM, Crowther CA, Antoniou G, et al.

Screening for gestational diabetes: the effect of varying blood glucose definitions in the prediction of adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol ; American Diabetes Association. Gestational diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes Care ; 27 Suppl 1:S Löbner K, Knopff A, Baumgarten A, et al. Predictors of postpartum diabetes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Diabetes ; Jovanovic, L Ed. Diabetes and Pregnancy: What to Expect, American Diabetes Association, Alexandria, VA, revised ACOG Practice Bulletin No. Obstet Gynecol ; e United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When gestationnal eat, your body breaks down Quercetin supplements and diabetws from Quercetin supplements into glucose to use for energy. Your pancreas Preventing gestational diabetes a hormone called insulin Promotes a positive outlook helps your body keep the right amount of glucose in your blood. This can cause serious health problems, such as heart disease, kidney failure and blindness. Pregnant people are usually tested for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Most of the time it can be controlled and treated during pregnancy.