Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that starts during pregnancy, usually in the second half. It often has no symptoms and is found with a blood sugar test at around 24 to 28 weeks. If it is not controlled, the baby can grow very large, which makes birth difficult, and the baby may have low sugar after birth. It usually goes away after delivery, but the mother has a higher risk of type 2 diabetes later in life.
Symptoms
Usually no symptoms — found by a blood sugar test
Being very thirsty
Passing urine even more often than usual in pregnancy
Feeling very tired
Repeated vaginal or urine infections
The baby measures larger than expected at check-ups
Causes
Pregnancy hormones make the body less able to use insulin
Being overweight before pregnancy
Diabetes in a parent, brother or sister
Gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy
A previous baby weighing more than 4 kg
Mother aged over 30 to 35
Prevention
Reach a healthy weight before pregnancy if you can
Eat regular meals with vegetables, lentils and beans, and less sugar, sweets, sweet tea, white bread and white rice
Walk or stay active every day if your doctor agrees
Have a blood sugar test at 24 to 28 weeks, or earlier if you are at high risk
Treatment
A healthy eating plan: smaller regular meals, fewer sweets, and less white bread and rice
Daily walking or light activity
Checking blood sugar at home or at the clinic as advised
Metformin or insulin if diet alone does not control the sugar — prescribed by a doctor
Extra checks of the baby growth and planning the birth in a hospital
A blood sugar test 6 to 12 weeks after birth
Do not start prescription medicines without a doctor
Common questions
Will my baby have diabetes?
No, the baby is not born with diabetes. But a baby whose mother had high sugar may have low blood sugar just after birth and a higher chance of being overweight later, so early breastfeeding and check-ups help.
Does it go away after birth?
In most women blood sugar returns to normal after delivery. Have a sugar test 6 to 12 weeks after birth and then every 1 to 3 years, because the risk of type 2 diabetes stays higher.
