About gestational diabetes

Approximately 4% of all women develop diabetes during pregnancy. The body’s sugar metabolism is strained by pregnancy hormones during pregnancy, which means the body needs to produce more insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels. A person develops diabetes if their body cannot produce enough insulin.

Most women’s blood sugar levels return to normal shortly after giving birth.

Gestational diabetes typically doesn’t have any symptoms. However, high blood sugar levels during pregnancy can be unhealthy for the baby. Gestational diabetes can put you at higher risk of high blood pressure, pre-eclampsia, excess amniotic fluid or premature delivery.

How gestational diabetes can affect your baby

When your blood sugar levels rise, so do the blood sugar levels of your baby. High blood sugar levels for extended periods of time are not healthy for the baby. Gestational diabetes can cause problems such as:

A large baby

If your baby intakes too much sugar during the pregnancy it can grow larger than usual, which can cause issues during delivery. We track your baby at additional ultrasounds every 4-6 weeks. In some cases, we recommend inducing labour. We will discuss this with you.

Low blood sugar

The baby may experience low blood sugar the first few days after delivery if you had high sugar levels during pregnancy. In these cases, the baby would have produced extra insulin while in the womb, and it can take several hours before insulin production decreases after birth.

We measure the baby's blood sugar 2 hours after birth, and we recommend staying in hospital an extra day. Low blood sugar is best treated by breastfeeding or by feeding the baby milk in a cup.

Jaundice

Your child has a slightly increased risk of developing jaundice when you have had gestational diabetes. Jaundice usually develops 3-5 days after birth, and in some cases will require treatment using light therapy.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes

The baby has an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes or obesity later in life. Breastfeeding can have a preventative effect.

Treatment during pregnancy

Gestational diabetes can be treated by changing your diet and being physically active, although it may become necessary to take insulin.

Diet

You will be offered a meeting with a dietician, who can help you develop an eating plan. Eating the right food can prevent your blood sugar from getting too high.

Being physically active

Physical activity can help lower your blood sugar. We recommend being moderately physically active at least 30 minutes every day, for exampling by walking, riding a bike, or swimming.

Insulin

If your blood sugar does not return to normal levels by changing your diet and being physically active, then it will be necessary to take insulin. 20-25% of women with gestational diabetes will need to take insulin.

Checking your blood sugar

You should keep an eye on your blood sugar throughout the pregnancy. You will be given a device to help you check your blood sugar. You will need to check your blood sugar levels 5 times a day:

• Before breakfast.
• 1½ hours after each meal.
• Before going to bed.

Your blood sugar level should be between 4-6 mmol/l before meals, and between 6-8 mmol/l 1½ hours after a meal and before you go to bed.

You will have to check your blood sugar during the rest of your pregnancy.

Extra check-ups

When you have gestational diabetes, you will be invited for additional check-ups during your pregnancy at both the outpatient department for pregnant women and the Endocrinology outpatient department

Prevention and treatment after delivery

Diet

We recommend that you continue eating the healthy diet you adopted during pregnancy.

Checking your blood sugar

If you followed a certain diet or taken insulin during pregnancy, we recommend you continue checking your blood sugar the first 2 days after delivery. You should check you blood sugar 5 times a day at the same times as you did during pregnancy.

Preventing type 2 diabetes

You have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you have had gestational diabetes. 50% of women with gestational diabetes will develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

You can help prevent diabetes from developing by:

• exercising at least 30 minutes every day
• eating a healthy diet
• losing weight if you are overweight

Breastfeeding your child can be preventative.

Check-up

In the vast majority of cases, gestational diabetes goes away by itself within a few days of delivery. You will be invited for a check-up of your sugar metabolism approx. 8 weeks after delivery, so we can check your blood sugar and insulin levels.

We recommend booking an appointment for a check-up with your general practitioner every 1-2 years to check whether you have developed type 2 diabetes.