Understanding Gestational Diabetes: What every expecting mother should know

Pregnancy is a time of excitement and anticipation - but it’s also a time of many changes in your body. One condition that affects some women during pregnancy is gestational diabetes. Although it may sound scary, with proper care and management, both mother and baby can stay healthy and thrive.

What Is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes (GD) is a type of diabetes that develops only during pregnancy. It means your blood sugar levels become higher than normal, even if you didn’t have diabetes before. It usually appears in the second or third trimester, and for most women, it goes away after giving birth.

What Causes It?

During pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones that help the baby grow. But these hormones can also make it harder for your body to use insulin—the hormone that controls blood sugar. When your body can't make enough insulin to keep up, your blood sugar levels rise, leading to gestational diabetes.

Who Is at Risk?

Any pregnant woman can develop gestational diabetes, but some risk factors include:

• Being overweight or obese
• A family history of type 2 diabetes
• Having had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy
• Being over age 25
• Having polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Symptoms to Watch For

Gestational diabetes doesn’t always cause noticeable symptoms, which is why it’s usually detected through routine glucose screening tests between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Using the innovative technology at Ginekaliks Laboratory, now we can prevent this condition through genetic testing as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. However, some women may experience symptoms such as:

• Unusual thirst
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Blurred vision

Why It Matters

If left untreated, gestational diabetes can lead to complications such as:

• High birth weight (macrosomia), which can lead to a more difficult delivery
• Premature birth
• Low blood sugar in the newborn
• Increased risk of type 2 diabetes later in life (for both mother and baby)

How Is It Managed?

The good news? Gestational diabetes is manageable—and many women go on to have perfectly healthy pregnancies. Management usually includes:

• Healthy eating: A balanced diet with controlled carbohydrates helps keep blood sugar stable.
• Regular physical activity: Even light exercise like walking can help.
• Monitoring blood sugar levels: Using a glucose meter daily.
• Medication or insulin therapy: In some cases, insulin injections or other medications are needed.

Your healthcare provider will guide you through a personalized plan to keep you and your baby healthy.

After Delivery

In most cases, gestational diabetes goes away after birth. However, it’s important to:

• Re-test blood sugar levels 6–12 weeks postpartum
• Continue a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future

Gestational diabetes may seem overwhelming, but with proper monitoring and care, most women go through pregnancy without major issues. Stay active, listen to your body, and get informed at Ginekaliks Laboratory about all the possibilities for genetic testing and prevention — for a healthy pregnancy: https://ginekalikslab.com/mk