How to control diet in gestational diabetes

Written by Chen Kai
Endocrinology
Updated on December 10, 2024
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Gestational diabetes is characterized by elevated blood glucose levels found during pregnancy in individuals who did not previously have diabetes. Overall, dietary control for gestational diabetes is similar to that for typical diabetes patients. It involves avoiding high-calorie, high-sugar, and fried foods. It is advisable to consume more fruits and vegetables, as well as foods with a lower glycemic index. Increasing the intake of whole grains and mixed grains is recommended, while nuts such as peanuts and sunflower seeds should be limited. Foods should be steamed rather than boiled, and fried foods must be strictly avoided.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
1min 12sec home-news-image

Gestational diabetes blood sugar standards

The diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes involve a pregnant woman undergoing a 75-gram glucose test at any time during pregnancy to measure fasting blood glucose, blood glucose one hour after consuming glucose, and blood glucose two hours after consuming glucose. The thresholds are: fasting blood glucose equal to or greater than 5.1 mmol/L, blood glucose one hour after glucose intake equal to or greater than 10.0 mmol/L, and blood glucose two hours after glucose intake equal to or greater than 8.5 mmol/L. Diagnosis of gestational diabetes can be made if blood glucose levels exceed these standards at any of the three time points. In China, pregnant women typically undergo the 75-gram glucose test between the 24th to 28th week of pregnancy. Women at high risk for gestational diabetes are advised to undergo the 75-gram glucose test early.

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Written by Luo Han Ying
Endocrinology
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Can you drink yogurt if you have gestational diabetes?

Regarding yogurt, there are two scenarios. Currently, you can make yogurt at home with a yogurt maker. If it's homemade yogurt and you haven't added sugar, it is okay to eat because it contains probiotics and nutritious ingredients, which are actually beneficial for pregnant women. However, the yogurt sold in stores contains very high sugar levels because anyone who has made yogurt would know that unsweetened yogurt is very sour. The kind sold in stores tastes that way because a large amount of sugar is added, not to mention various additives. This is very unfavorable for blood sugar control in patients with gestational diabetes. Therefore, we recommend that pregnant women should drink less or even avoid commercial yogurt. In fact, we can obtain these nutrients by drinking regular milk, like pure milk.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
1min 19sec home-news-image

Can you eat pumpkin with gestational diabetes?

The overall principle of dietary control for patients with gestational diabetes is to manage total calorie intake and to eat smaller, more frequent meals. Consuming five to six meals a day can help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce the occurrence of hypoglycemia. Therefore, for patients with gestational diabetes, foods that can rapidly increase blood sugar levels, such as those high in sugar, starch, and fat, should be consumed less frequently, as these foods can easily be converted into glucose, leading to an increase in blood sugar levels. Pumpkin, which is high in carbohydrates, should also be eaten in moderation. However, this does not mean that pumpkin cannot be eaten at all. When consuming pumpkin, it should be treated as a staple food. After eating pumpkin, the amount of other staple foods in that meal should be reduced. This helps in maintaining good blood sugar control. Therefore, patients with gestational diabetes can still eat pumpkin, but it should not be treated as a vegetable. Instead, it should be considered like rice, and the amount of rice should be reduced when pumpkin is consumed.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
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Impact of gestational diabetes on the fetus and pregnant women

The effects of gestational diabetes on the mother mainly include an increased risk of miscarriage, concurrent conditions such as gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, as well as the potential for diabetic ketoacidosis. The presence of a large fetus can lead to difficult labor, damage to the birth canal, prolonged surgical delivery, and an increased likelihood of postpartum hemorrhage. Additionally, women with gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing the condition again in future pregnancies. In terms of long-term effects, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes significantly increases after experiencing gestational diabetes. For the fetus, the impacts of gestational diabetes primarily manifest as an increased risk of spontaneous miscarriage, congenital anomalies, and abnormal development. There is also a heightened risk of hyperinsulinemia, which can even affect the proper development and maturity of the fetal lungs, leading to delays. After birth, conditions such as hypoglycemia and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome are more likely to occur. In the long term, offspring of women with gestational diabetes are at higher risk for glucose intolerance, diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. These conditions significantly increase the risks to the cardiovascular system and can affect neuromotor development.

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Written by Chen Xie
Endocrinology
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How to reduce blood sugar in gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes cannot be treated with oral medications, as they can affect the fetus. Currently, the main treatment for gestational diabetes in China is insulin, with options for short-acting or rapid-acting insulin. If fasting blood glucose is high, long-acting insulin can be used to control fasting blood glucose levels. If post-meal blood glucose is high, short-acting or rapid-acting insulin can be used to control post-meal blood glucose levels. The blood glucose control standards for gestational diabetes are fasting blood glucose between 4.0 and 5.3, and two hours post-meal blood glucose between 4.4 and 6.7.