Gestational Diabetes: What to Expect and What You Can Control

In this Pregnancy Matters episode from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, host Dr. Anna Staniczenko talks with maternal-fetal medicine specialist Dr. Maisa Feghali and certified diabetes care and education specialist/registered dietitian Disha Gandhi about gestational diabetes (GDM). They explain how GDM is typically diagnosed after 20 weeks, why placental hormones increase insulin resistance, and why it can occur even with a healthy lifestyle. The discussion covers what happens after diagnosis, including checking blood sugars four times daily, weekly review for trends, nutrition strategies (balanced meals, adequate carbohydrates, and adding protein), and when medications may be needed, with insulin as a preferred option. They review risks of uncontrolled blood sugar for baby and mother, pregnancy monitoring (ultrasound and possible non-stress tests), and emphasize GDM is common, manageable, and not a personal failure.