To help avoid gestational diabetes, focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Regular exercise, like walking or pregnancy yoga, can help regulate blood sugar levels. Eating a balanced diet rich in whole grains, lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits, while avoiding excessive sugar and processed foods, is key. If you’re overweight, losing a little weight before pregnancy can reduce your risk.
Pregnancy diabetes
Around the world, the number of women with gestational diabetes is increasing. In 2020, 1 in 6 births was affected by pregnancy diabetes.
Women who develop gestational diabetes have a higher risk of experiencing complications during pregnancy and birth, as well as developing diabetes later in life.
Babies of moms with pregnancy diabetes might be larger than other babies (>4 kg birth weight) and have a higher risk of developing obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.
How to avoid gestational diabetes – 8 simple tips
- Stop smoking
- Exercise regularly
- Eat a well-balanced diet including enough fiber, vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains
- Eat less sugar-sweetened foods, red processed meat (bacon, ham, sausages) and saturated fats
- Before you get pregnant, check that you are at a healthy weight
- Pay attention to your pregnancy weight gain and keep it in the recommended range
- Monitor your blood sugar level four times a day
- Consider supplementation with myo-inositol and probiotics.
It is important for women with gestational diabetes to carefully control and monitor their blood glucose levels to reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes with the support of their gynecologists.
Find out more about GDM symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
