Patient's question:
What are the dietary precautions for gestational diabetes? How can blood sugar be controlled? Additionally, can pregnant women with gestational diabetes consume Anmian maternity milk powder? What does the gestational diabetes meal plan look like? I hope someone with relevant expertise can answer me.Doctor's answer:
Gestational diabetes refers to diabetes that occurs or is first discovered during pregnancy, where 80%-90% of pregnant women have no history of diabetes before pregnancy, while about 10% already had latent diabetes before becoming pregnant but were not diagnosed. Gestational diabetes occurs because hormones secreted after conception have a resisting effect on insulin in the periphery of human tissues. As the pregnancy progresses, this effect peaks between weeks 24 and 28, which is why doctors conduct diabetes screening tests for pregnant women during this period. Statistics show that the incidence of gestational diabetes has increased from 2% in 1996 to 4.6% in 2003, possibly due to factors such as excessive nutrition and improper diet among pregnant women. Gestational diabetes poses risks to both the mother and child, manifesting as an increased likelihood of conditions like gestational hypertension, polyhydramnios, neonatal hypoglycemia, higher rates of macrosomia, and increased risks of dystocia. Dietary management is the primary treatment for gestational diabetes, with only 10%-20% of patients requiring insulin therapy, and oral hypoglycemic drugs are contraindicated during pregnancy. Statistics indicate that women with gestational diabetes have a 50%-60% chance of developing type 2 diabetes within 5-10 years after recovery, so prevention must also be addressed after the condition is resolved.