Reducing the Risk of Gestational Diabetes in Type 2 Diabetes

Two of the fundamental suggestions for preventing Gestational diabetes are a healthy diet and regular exercise. Researchers at the University of Sydney in Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia, as well as at a number of other research facilities in Europe and the UK, examined the outcomes of structured programs for healthy meal plans and exercise for pregnant women at risk for developing Gestational diabetes. The results were published in the journal of the American Diabetes Association, Diabetes Care in May, 2015.

150 pregnant women who were thought to be at high risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy participated in the study, dubbed the DALI Lifestyle Pilot…

• each women had a body mass index of at least 29.
• the women were randomized into healthy eating, physical activity, and both healthy eating and physical activity groups.
• all participants were given five face-to-face coaching sessions and four telephone coaching sessions, to help them stay motivated.

Less than 5 kg of pregnancy weight gain was their target.

by the 24th week of pregnancy…

• the women who followed a healthy meal plan showed less pregnancy weight gain and lower blood sugar levels than those in the physical activity only group. But their insulin sensitivity was comparable.
• the healthy eating and physical activity group showed little difference from the healthy eating group.

It was found between 35 and 37 weeks of pregnancy…

• 32 percent of the women had developed diabetes.
• 20 percent were able to gain less than 5 kg.

As a result of these findings, the researchers came to the conclusion that healthy eating and weight gain are not correlated. We will learn more about how to prevent gestational diabetes, they claim, as a result of further research.

Diabetes-like conditions in pregnant women were first mentioned in the medical literature in 1823…

• in the 1940s and 1950s it was found mothers who developed After pregnancy, type 2 diabetes put babies at a high risk of dying in the first 28 days.
• in 1964 doctors in The screening test that is still in use today was first used in Boston to identify the illness.

The terms “carbohydrate intolerance of pregnancy” and “pre-diabetes of pregnancy” were considered too mild for the women and their insurance companies to take seriously. The term “gestational diabetes mellitus” became official in 1979 at the First International Workshop-Conference on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

It’s still up for debate whether gestational diabetes actually develops during pregnancy or if it’s only discovered then. Regardless, women who are diagnosed with diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks into their pregnancy require special attention.