Gestational Diabetes, Explained Without the Jargon

Unmanaged, it raises the chance of a large baby, a cesarean birth, low blood sugar in the newborn and high blood pressure in pregnancy, and it signals a higher risk of type 2 diabetes later in life.

Key takeaways

• Usual screening time: 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy
• ADA glucose targets in pregnancy: fasting under 95 mg/dL; under 140 mg/dL one hour or under 120 mg/dL two hours after meals, unless your team sets others
• Most useful single change: Follow the eating plan your care team or a registered dietitian gives you, spreading carbohydrates through the day.
• Commonest mistake: Skipping meals to keep numbers down, which can cause low blood sugar.
• See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.

The short answer

High blood sugar that develops during pregnancy in someone who did not have diabetes before.

Where it fits

This is part of Pregnancy. The published position is set out below, along with what it means day to day.

The numbers, in one place

What that means in practice

What that looks like in practice:

• Follow the eating plan your care team or a registered dietitian gives you, spreading carbohydrates through the day
• Check your blood sugar as often as you are asked and bring your log to visits
• Walk or stay active most days if your provider agrees; activity after meals can help lower blood sugar
• Take insulin or other medicines exactly as prescribed if diet and activity are not enough
• Keep your postpartum glucose test appointment and tell future doctors you had gestational diabetes

What gets people into trouble

The pitfalls worth knowing about:

• Skipping meals to keep numbers down, which can cause low blood sugar
• Sugary drinks and juice, which raise blood sugar quickly
• Assuming the risk is over once the baby is born

Related topics

• Type 2 Diabetes: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise (Diabetes)
• What the Guidance Really Says About Vaccination in Pregnancy (Vaccinations)
• Listeria in Pregnancy: What Published Guidance Supports (Food Safety)
• What the Guidance Really Says About Diabetes and the Kidneys (Kidney Health)

Where to go next

• Gestational Diabetes: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
• A Working Checklist for Gestational Diabetes
• Gestational Diabetes — the reference entry
• Pregnancy and Postpartum: The Complete Guide
• What the Guidance Really Says About Preeclampsia Warning Signs
• Vaccines During Pregnancy: What the Evidence Actually Says

When to speak to a doctor

Call your care team if your readings stay above your targets, or if you are very thirsty, urinating much more than usual or feel shaky and sweaty. Call 911 if you become confused, cannot stay awake, have a seizure or are unable to treat a low blood sugar.

Where this comes from

• CDC — Gestational Diabetes
• American Diabetes Association — Standards of Care in Diabetes
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases — Gestational Diabetes

How this page was put together

Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.

Medical disclaimer

This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.