Gestational Diabetes is the phenomenon of elevated blood sugar levels in pregnant women. Up to 15% of all pregnant women may be affected by the condition. It is typically diagnosed by screening during pregnancy.

Babies born to mothers with Gestational Diabetes are at increased risk of problems such as being large for their pregnancy age (which may lead to delivery complications), low blood sugar, and jaundice.

Gestational Diabetes is a treatable condition, and close control of blood sugar levels can effectively decrease these risks.

Women with Gestational Diabetes are at increased risk of developing type 2 Diabetes Mellitus after pregnancy, and their babies are likely to develop childhood obesity, with type 2 diabetes later in their life.

For most women gestational diabetes is a condition that exists only during pregnancy and it goes away once the baby is born. For a small percentage of women this is a warning sign that they may be at risk for type 2 diabetes later in life.

Most diagnosed women are treated only with diet and moderate exercise. Some however need to take anti-diabetic drugs, including insulin.

Managing this dangerous condition starts with a gestational diabetes diet.

To control the condition it is essential that pregnant women make changes to their diet, many of which they may not be used to. Lifestyle requirements based on metabolic nutrition is the way this is accomplished. The first thing to be done is to reduce the amount of simple sugars consumed and to replace them with complex carbohydrates.

Vital nutrients, including carbohydrates, must be balanced throughout the day. A registered dietician is an important resource for implementing a gestational diabetes diet plan. This dietary specialist can help pregnant women with their food choices through the use of exchange lists.

Exchange lists were first created to help diabetics with their meal planning. They are used as a basic tool for almost all dietary recommendations for diabetes.

Carbohydrate counting has also emerged as a way of controlling the complications of diabetes. Keeping track of carbohydrates eaten is the strength of an effective gestational diabetes diet plan.

It is critical for women with gestational diabetes to rely on their health care teams to manage the condition. Doctors, nurses, and dieticians will need to take into account the physical, psychosocial, and educational needs of their patient when implementing a gestational diabetes diet plan.

An effective gestational diabetes diet plan needs to be individually created. The main responsibility for its creation lies with a dietician who also teaches it to the pregnant woman.  Nurses must reinforce these dietary changes with the woman and are responsible for showing her how to self monitor her blood sugar levels as well as how to self administer insulin if it is prescribed. A team approach between the pregnant woman and her health care team is vitally important in managing this serious condition and doing so will mitigate the risks it poses.

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