Gestational diabetes, or diabetes during pregnancy, affects about 4% of all pregnant women or 135,000 cases each year in the U.S. This is most often caused by insulin resistance -the body becomes unable to adequately use insulin. So blood glucose levels creep up.
A recent study shows that the speed of weight gain may also be a factor in the development of gestational diabetes. There’s a 74% greater risk of developing gestational diabetes with a FAST weight gain in the first trimester.
Get treatment:
Eat a healthy diet with unrefined, complex carbohydrates.
Have daily exercise.
Do daily blood glucose testing.
The goal: To keep fasting blood glucose levels between 70-95 mg/dl.
If gestational diabetes is untreated: The baby may be BIG, making delivery more difficult. AND, the mom’s pancreas overworks, increasing her future diabetes risk.
