Did you know that every year, 2 to 10% of all pregnant women in the US develop gestational diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)? For these women, a gestational diabetes diet is important.
So, if you’re part of the statistics, don’t panic. We’ve assembled this comprehensive guide on navigating gestational diabetes via proper diet and nutrition. Read on to delve deep into this condition, including its causes, origins, risks, and diagnosis.
We’ll then offer you practical insights into meal planning and crafting a healthy diet – one that’s tailored specifically to managing your gestational diabetes so you can make informed decisions for a healthy pregnancy journey and a healthy baby.
Let’s start by understanding gestational diabetes.
Table of Contents
Causes and Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes
What Happens if Gestational Diabetes is Left Untreated
The Importance of Diet in Managing Gestational Diabetes
General Dietary Guidelines for Gestational Diabetes
Design Your Gestational Diabetes Diet Plan
What is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy, caused by an inability of your body to produce enough insulin to meet the increased demands of pregnancy. This decrease in insulin production results in increased blood sugar levels, which can be harmful to moms and babies.
It happens like this. Insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas that helps regulate blood sugar by facilitating glucose uptake into your cells for energy. With increased insulin resistance due to the hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, you may experience gestational diabetes.
How is Gestational Diabetes Diagnosed?
Symptoms might include being thirsty, needing to urinate frequently, dry mouth, or blurred vision. Diagnosis takes place through routine screening tests beginning typically around the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy. One test is the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), which involves drinking a sugary beverage. Blood sugar measurements at specific intervals assess how your body processes glucose.
If your initial screening test results are normal, no further testing may be required unless risk factors change or symptoms of gestational diabetes develop later in your pregnancy.
However, suppose your initial test indicates a higher risk of gestational diabetes. In that case, you’ll need ongoing monitoring of your blood sugar levels, including regular blood sugar testing at home, dietary modifications, physical activity, and possibly insulin therapy or other medications as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
Causes and Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes
The causes of gestational diabetes may vary from woman to woman, but they’re usually a combination of different factors that affect insulin production during pregnancy.
Risk Factors
Hormonal Changes
During pregnancy, your placenta produces hormones that help sustain the pregnancy, such as human placental lactogen (HPL), estrogen, and progesterone. These hormones can interfere with insulin action, as we mentioned, leading to insulin resistance.
Obesity and Excess Weight
Being overweight or obese before pregnancy increases the risk of gestational diabetes. Excess adipose tissue, especially around your abdomen, can contribute to insulin resistance and impaired glucose metabolism.
Age
Advanced maternal age, particularly over 35, can bring an increased risk of gestational diabetes. Older women may have reduced insulin sensitivity and diminished pancreatic function, contributing to the development of gestational diabetes.
Previous Gestational Diabetes
If you had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, you’re at higher risk of developing it in subsequent pregnancies. This is also a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
High Blood Pressure
Chronic hypertension or a history of high blood pressure increases your risk of gestational diabetes because elevated blood pressure levels can impair insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
While these factors contribute to the development of gestational diabetes, having one or more of them does not necessarily mean you will develop the condition.
Likewise, some women without apparent risk factors may still develop gestational diabetes. The only way to find out if you’re at risk is through routine screening and monitoring during pregnancy.
Is Gestational Diabetes Hereditary?
While there’s a genetic component to the development of gestational diabetes, it’s not solely determined by genetics. The other factors we mentioned also play significant roles in developing the condition.
However, gestational diabetes can run in families, meaning that if you have a family history of diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, you’re at an increased risk of developing gestational diabetes, too.
So, if you do have a family history of diabetes or other risk factors for gestational diabetes, please discuss appropriate screening, monitoring, and preventive measures with your healthcare provider.
That’s because early detection and management of gestational diabetes will help minimize potential complications and ensure a healthy pregnancy outcome for both you and your baby.
What Happens if Gestational Diabetes is Left Untreated?
If left untreated or poorly managed, gestational diabetes can pose risks to you and your child. These risks include complications during pregnancy and delivery, including:
- Preeclampsia
- Macrosomia (large birth weight)
- The need for a Cesarean section
- Risk of developing type 2 diabetes for both you and your child later in life
- Future pregnancy complications
- Increased cardiovascular risks
- Risk of low blood sugar levels and respiratory distress syndrome for your baby
- Higher rate of ICU admission for your baby
As you see, close monitoring and management of gestational diabetes are essential to reduce the risk of complications and ensure the health and well-being of both you and your baby throughout pregnancy and beyond.
Now that you know what gestational diabetes is and all the risks it may impose on you and your baby’s health, let’s talk about what really matters – how to manage it well through healthy dietary choices.
The Importance of Diet in Managing Gestational Diabetes
Diet is critical in managing gestational diabetes and promoting a healthy pregnancy. By working closely with your healthcare providers and registered dietitians, you can follow a tailored meal plan that
- meets your nutritional needs,
- supports blood sugar control, and
- ensures optimal health for you and your baby.
So, before diving into the practical tips and diet planning, we’d like to highlight the main reasons why you should not underestimate nutrition when taking care of gestational diabetes.
Benefits of Good Nutrition
Good Blood Sugar Control
Your diet directly impacts your blood sugar levels, with certain foods causing high blood sugar levels more than others. By following a balanced diet tailored to gestational diabetes, you can better prevent high blood sugar levels. This minimizes complications during your pregnancy.
Healthy Fetal Development
Proper nutrition during pregnancy is essential for the healthy development of your baby. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels through diet helps give your baby the nutrients needed for healthy development and reduces the risk of macrosomia or respiratory distress syndrome.
Weight Management
Gestational diabetes increases the risk of excessive weight gain during pregnancy – which further exacerbates insulin resistance and blood sugar control. A balanced diet can therefore help you maintain a healthy weight.
Preventing Long-Term Health Risks
Gestational diabetes is a risk factor for developing high blood sugar levels later in life for both you and your child. Healthy eating habits during pregnancy therefore reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes postpartum.
Now, what does proper nutrition for gestational diabetes look like?
General Dietary Guidelines for Gestational Diabetes
Before diving into your meal planning and the best and worst foods for gestational diabetes, let’s look at the general dietary guidelines for gestational diabetes, which focus on controlling blood sugar levels while ensuring adequate nutrition for both moms and babies.
Try the following tips to keep your blood sugar levels on track and reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy and delivery.
1 Eat Regular Meals and Snacks
Aim for three balanced meals and two to three snacks daily for a gestational diabetes diet, spaced evenly throughout the day. Eating at regular intervals helps stabilize blood sugar levels and prevents large fluctuations.
2 Emphasize Low Glycemic Index (GI) Foods
Choose carbohydrates with a low glycemic index, which are digested and absorbed more slowly, gradually increasing blood sugar levels. Examples include whole grains (such as oats, quinoa, and barley), legumes, non-starchy vegetables, and fruits such as berries and apples.
3 Include Lean Protein
Incorporate lean protein sources into each meal and snack to help balance blood sugar levels and promote satiety. Good lean protein sources include poultry, fish, tofu, eggs, legumes, and low-fat dairy products.
4 Prioritize Fiber-Rich Foods
For a gestational diabetes diet, choose fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, which can help improve blood sugar control, promote digestive health, and increase feelings of fullness.
5 Limit Highly Processed Foods and Sugary Foods
Minimize consumption of sugary beverages, sweets, desserts, and highly processed foods that can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. Instead, choose whole, unprocessed foods whenever possible.
6 Control Portion Sizes
Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid consuming excessive carbohydrates, which can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. Use measuring cups, food scales, or visual cues to help estimate appropriate portion sizes.
A suitable reference portion size is the diabetes plate method, in which you should aim to fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and a quarter with carbohydrates.
You can then adjust portion sizes based on your doctor’s recommendations, according to your nutritional needs and blood sugar control.
7 Choose Healthy Fats
Include sources of healthy fats in your gestational diabetes diet, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish like salmon. Healthy fats can help improve insulin sensitivity and promote overall health.
8 Stay Hydrated
Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and support overall health. Limit consumption of sugary beverages, replacing them with water, herbal tea, or sparkling water instead.
9 Monitor Blood Sugar
Regularly monitor blood sugar levels however your healthcare provider recommends, to assess the effects of dietary choices – and make adjustments as needed.
10 Seek Guidance from a Registered Dietitian
Work with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider specializing in gestational diabetes to develop a personalized meal plan that meets your nutritional needs, supports blood sugar control, and ensures a healthy pregnancy outcome.
Design Your Gestational Diabetes Diet Plan
A diet plan for gestational diabetes should be based on your individual nutritional needs and blood sugar levels, meaning you should always work closely with your healthcare provider and follow their considerations to keep your gestational diabetes under control.
In addition to dietary changes, your doctors may recommend regular physical activity. That’s because exercise helps improve insulin sensitivity, controls blood sugar, and supports overall health during pregnancy.
Don’t hesitate to ask your doctors any questions you may have – they can tailor your diet plan to meet your specific needs and preferences while still adhering to the principles of blood sugar control and balanced nutrition.
With that said, you must be asking yourself: Can I eat pizza with gestational diabetes?
The answer is yes, as long as you’re reasonable, make mindful choices, and consider portion sizes to help control blood sugar. What does that mean in practice?
While pizza is typically high in carbohydrates and can potentially cause spikes in blood sugar levels, it may still be possible to enjoy pizza occasionally by choosing a whole wheat crust, loading it up with vegetables, or pairing it with protein or a salad, for example.
Now, let’s take a look at a sample healthy meal plan for gestational diabetes.
Sample Gestational Diabetes Meal Ideas
Breakfast Ideas for gestational diabetes
One whole wheat English muffin
Two tablespoons of almond butter
One small apple
Lunch ideas
Grilled chicken breast salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and avocado
1/2 cup of quinoa
Dinner ideas
Baked salmon fillet
Steamed broccoli and cauliflower
1/2 cup of brown rice
Healthy snacks for a gestational diabetes diet
Plan your snacks in advance so you avoid reaching for unwise food!
Morning Snack
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of mixed berries
Afternoon Snack
1/2 cup of carrot sticks
Two tablespoons of hummus
Evening Snack (optional)
One small pear
One tablespoon of almond butter
Foods to Avoid or Limit
Sugary foods and beverages
Highly processed foods
Refined grains (white bread, white rice)
Fried foods
Manage Your Gestational Diabetes Diet with Expert Care from Stella Mattina
Don’t let gestational diabetes harm your health or your baby’s. Our women’s healthcare specialists at Stella Mattina can support you to manage gestational diabetes effectively. We specialize in all aspects of Ob-Gyn including the risks and treatment of gestational diabetes. You can trust us to routinely monitor your blood sugar levels and guide you with a balanced diet tailored to your needs during pregnancy.
Schedule a consultation today and let’s talk.
Dr. Krum is currently in practice in Arlington, TX. He received his undergraduate degree at Texas A&M University, then attended UTMB Galveston for medical school, finishing in 1986, completing his residency there in 1990. Providing a full range of obstetrical and gynecological care, he specializes in the treatment of endometriosis and robotic surgery. He arranges his schedule so that same-day appointments are usually available.