Gestational Diabetes: What you need to know

Gestational Diabetes
Gestational Diabetes

What is gestational diabetes?

During pregnancy, a woman’s hormonal balance changes. This can affect the metabolism of the expectant mother and increase blood sugar levels. If certain thresholds of blood sugar levels are exceeded for a long time, we speak of diabetes mellitus of pregnancy (Gestational Diabetes)

As a rule, gestational diabetes does not manifest itself with any symptoms. Therefore, between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy, it is important to have a blood sugar test (glucose tolerance test) to detect the disease in time and take steps for treatment. Only with a significant increase in blood sugar levels may symptoms such as fatigue and extreme thirst appear.

When does gestational diabetes begin?

Starting from the 20th week of pregnancy, a pregnant woman’s body is bombarded with a barrage of different hormones. They change the processes going on in the body to ensure the growth of the baby in the womb. In particular, the carbohydrate metabolism changes: the blood sugar level that reaches the baby through the umbilical cord rises.

If the blood sugar level exceeds a certain threshold for a long time, pregnancy diabetes mellitus (gestational diabetes) occurs. Too high blood sugar levels can lead to short-term and lasting health consequences for both mother and child. Therefore, early detection and treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus is important. In most women after the birth of the child, carbohydrate metabolism returns to normal.

In pregnancy diabetes mellitus, as in type 2 diabetes, increased insulin resistance is combined with insufficient insulin production.

Learn more here

Good to know:

Pregnancy diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that is initially diagnosed during pregnancy. At the end of pregnancy, such diabetes often disappears.

How common is diabetes mellitus in pregnant women?

In 2020, about 56,000 of the approximately 600,000 women who gave birth in a hospital setting had prenatal diabetes. That is approximately 9 cases per 100 pregnant women. Since 2002, this figure has been steadily increasing. On the one hand, this is due to an increase in the average age of pregnant women and the number of pregnant women who are overweight: both are risk factors for hyperglycemia during pregnancy. On the other hand, since 2012, health insurance companies began to pay for the glucose tolerance test. Therefore, diabetes mellitus in pregnant women is more frequently detected and documented.

Does gestational diabetes have symptoms?

In many cases, gestational diabetes does not manifest itself in any way. Only very high blood sugar levels can cause the same symptoms as other forms of diabetes:

  • Weakness
  • Fatigue
  • Increased thirst
  • Frequent urination.


Often these symptoms are mistaken for the normal phenomena that accompany pregnancy. All the more important is regular medical monitoring and testing of blood sugar levels to detect diabetes mellitus in pregnancy. Symptoms can also include repeated detection of sugar in the urine or an increased amount of amniotic fluid. Learn more here

Who gets diabetes mellitus during pregnancy?

Pregnancy diabetes mellitus is especially common in overweight women and older pregnant women. Some ethnic groups also increase the risk of this metabolic disorder, among other factors.

Pregnancy diabetes prevention

Both being overweight and overweight during pregnancy contribute to the development of diabetes mellitus in pregnancy. Therefore, women are encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle to minimize both of these risk factors. Current research focuses primarily on which women are most likely to benefit from lifestyle changes. Instead of general lifestyle advice during pregnancy, doctors will be able to consider individual risk factors and behaviors in the future.

Good to know:

After giving birth, women with prenatal diabetes need to continue to live an active lifestyle. After all, they are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the coming years.

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