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In order to treat gestational diabetes, the first step is to simply adjust the mother’s diet. Eating fewer carbohydrates and more proteins and fats, but also substituting some whole grains and some brown rice for white flour-based carbohydrates can help in probably 80% of women. For the 20% for whom that does not work, various medications can help, whether they’re pills or injections of insulin to keep her blood sugar normal.

Typically, women stop these treatments right after they deliver, and then get retested for gestational diabetes about six to eight weeks after delivery to make sure that it’s gone. It’s important to note that women who have gestational diabetes during pregnancy have an increased risk of diabetes in their lifetime. And so, having gestational diabetes should become a part of a woman’s medical history.

“When she sees a doctor and he or she asks, “Have you any medical problems?” She should say, ‘Well, I’ve had asthma and when I was pregnant, I had gestational diabetes,’ Dr. Fox explained. “And then her physician will know that she’s at increased risk and needs to be screened more frequently that you would have otherwise.”

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Maternal Fetal Medicine blogs are intended for educational purposes only and do not replace certified professional care. Medical conditions vary and change frequently. Please ask your doctor any questions you may have regarding your condition to receive a proper diagnosis or risk analysis. Thank you!