Gestational diabetes

For expectant mothersbreadcrumb separatorPregnancy Factsheetsbreadcrumb separatorGestational diabetes

Gestational Diabetes

What is Gestational Diabetes (GD)?

Gestational diabetes

It is a disorder of carbohydrate tolerance, i.e. a problem with the regulation of glucose that leads to a sugar level that is too high. When this deregulation is discovered during pregnancy, it is called gestational diabetes.

There are 2 populations with GDs:

  • future diabetic women who are discovered during pregnancy
  • women who will have diabetes only during pregnancy

All women, even those who are not overweight or who have a healthy lifestyle (food and sports), can develop a GD. In all cases, the GD must be detected and treated as it poses a risk to the mother and baby.

Risks for the baby

The mother’s excess sugar is transmitted to the baby who will store this caloric overload. This will lead to an excessive increase in the child’s weight and growth, which will lead to what is called a macrosomy (>4 kg at birth). The possible consequences are as follows: 

  • difficult delivery
  • respiratory distress
  • neonatal hypoglycemia
  • risk of developing type II diabetes for the child later in life

Risks for the mother

The most important risk for the mother is that of developing pre-eclampsia combining high blood pressure, weight gain and edema, but other consequences are possible:

  • caesarean delivery
  • risk of type II diabetes after pregnancy (7x higher risk)
  • premature delivery

Screening for Gestational Diabetes

In order to detect diabetic women who went unnoticed before their pregnancy, a fasting blood glucose test (test for glucose in your blood) can be performed as soon as you want to have a child or in the first trimester of pregnancy. Then in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, between 24 and 28 weeks, an oral hyperglycemia test (OGTT) is performed. The test consists of swallowing 75 grams of glucose in a specially prepared drink, then measuring the concentration of this glucose in the maternal blood at different times. A single positive result is sufficient to diagnose gestational diabetes. 

What if I have gestational diabetes?

Your gynaecologist will tell you what to do in the event of a GD. This usually includes self-monitoring of blood glucose levels, dietary hygiene measures and regular physical activity.​​​​​​​ Sometimes specialized follow-up by a diabetologist with insulin administration may be necessary.​

Can I avoid having Gestational Diabetes?​​

A healthy diet and physically active lifestyle can reduce the risk of having a GD without completely cancelling it out.