Gestational Diabetes Management

What Is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy — usually in the second trimester — in women who did not have diabetes before pregnancy. It occurs when the body cannot produce sufficient insulin to meet the increased demands of pregnancy, leading to elevated blood glucose levels.

Indian women have a higher genetic predisposition to insulin resistance, making gestational diabetes particularly common in India — affecting an estimated 20% of pregnancies in urban populations.

Screening & Diagnosis

• Oral glucose challenge test (OGCT) at 24–28 weeks for all pregnant women
• Earlier screening (first trimester) for women with risk factors — obesity, PMOS, family history of diabetes, previous GDM, previous large baby
• Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) — the definitive diagnostic test

Risks of Unmanaged Gestational Diabetes

• Macrosomia — excessively large baby, increasing risk of difficult delivery and birth injury
• Pre-eclampsia
• Increased caesarean delivery rate
• Neonatal hypoglycaemia — low blood sugar in the newborn
• Long-term risk of Type 2 diabetes for mother and obesity/diabetes risk for child

Management at Petals Clinic

• Nutritional counselling — personalised dietary guidance to maintain blood glucose within target range
• Blood glucose monitoring — regular self-monitoring with targets appropriate for pregnancy
• Exercise guidance — safe physical activity to improve insulin sensitivity
• Medication if needed — metformin or insulin when diet and lifestyle are insufficient
• Enhanced fetal monitoring — growth scans, amniotic fluid assessment, Doppler studies
• Postpartum follow-up — OGTT at 6 weeks postpartum to confirm resolution of GDM