Gestational Diabetes During Pregnancy: Symptoms and Support

Gestational diabetes only develops in pregnant women and usually resolves itself after the birth of the baby. Your healthcare professional will provide precise guidance on treatment, and it requires careful monitoring throughout the pregnancy. Gestational diabetes during pregnancy develops because the body cannot produce enough insulin to manage blood sugar levels, and if it’s left untreated, it can affect both the mother and baby.

If you’re here because you’ve discovered symptoms of gestational diabetes during pregnancy, you’re in safe hands. This guide covers everything from understanding what gestational diabetes is to managing symptoms and accessing support for diagnosed mums.

Who Can Get Gestational Diabetes?

Anyone can develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, but there are some demographics that heighten the risk of developing this type of diabetes.

• Age over 40 (NHS, 2025)
• High BMI before pregnancy (NHS, 2025)
• Previous gestational diabetes (NHS, 2025)
• Family history of diabetes (Diabetes UK, 2024)
• Previously birthing a large baby (≈4.5 kg / 10 lb+) (Diabetes UK, 2024)
• Certain ethnic backgrounds (South Asian, Black, African-Caribbean) (NHS, 2025)
• Other factors, such as PCOS or high blood pressure (Diabetes UK, 2024)

What Causes Gestational Diabetes during pregnancy?

Developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy doesn’t mean that you’ve done something wrong to develop it in the first place. It can happen to anyone, and there are many women who get gestational diabetes and go on to have healthy pregnancies and babies.

In a nutshell, gestational diabetes can be caused by…

• Pregnancy hormones can make it harder for the body to use insulin effectively, leading to insulin resistance (NHS, 2025).
• Many women are unable to produce enough extra insulin to overcome this resistance (NHS, 2025).
• This makes it difficult to use glucose (sugar) properly for energy, so it stays in your blood, and the sugar levels rise. This then leads to gestational diabetes (Diabetes UK).
• Being overweight or having pre-existing insulin resistance increases the likelihood, but diet alone does not directly cause gestational diabetes (Diabetes UK, 2024).
• A mix of hormonal, genetic, and metabolic factors can contribute (NHS, 2025).

Gestational diabetes goes away after pregnancy, but there is a chance you can develop it again in future pregnancies. It also means you are ten times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Ask your healthcare professional for early support to monitor your blood sugar levels postpartum.

Symptoms of Gestational Diabetes during Pregnancy

The symptoms women get when they start to develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy can appear the same as common pregnancy symptoms, such as feeling tired and frequently needing to wee. This is why screening is essential to diagnosing gestational diabetes as early on as possible.

If your blood sugars become too high, signs of this could be:

• Frequent urination
• Excessive thirst
• Fatigue
• Dry mouth
• Blurred vision
• Genital itching or thrush (Diabetes UK, 2024)

If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your healthcare professional immediately to receive the right care for you and your baby.

How Gestational Diabetes Can Affect Your Pregnancy

If your blood sugar is not managed, you risk your glucose levels reaching a point which is too high and can cause complications in pregnancy. Risks if blood sugar is not controlled include:

• A large baby, which can complicate delivery (NHS, 2025)
• Preterm birth (NHS, 2025)
• Pre-eclampsia and high blood pressure (NHS, 2025)
• Low newborn blood sugar and jaundice (NHS, 2025)
• Higher long-term risk of type 2 diabetes for both mother and child (NHS, 2025)

Most women still go on to have healthy pregnancies with proper care and monitoring (RCOG, 2024).

Testing for Gestational Diabetes during Pregnancy

Women who align themselves with the groups at higher risk of gestational diabetes during pregnancy, or who are experiencing symptoms, will be offered an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). This is usually offered between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.

A gestational diabetes test involves:

• Fasting overnight so you won’t be able to eat or drink anything apart from water
• Taking a blood test first thing in the morning
• Following the blood test, you drink a glucose drink
• After 1-2 hours, you take another blood test, which shows how your body reacts to the glucose

If you have had gestational diabetes in earlier pregnancies, you might be offered an OGTT test sooner than 24 weeks and then tested again later in your pregnancy.

Managing Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is common, and it affects 4-5 women in every 100 women. With the right support, it’s usually very manageable throughout pregnancy. Your healthcare professional will guide you every step of the way by teaching you how to monitor your blood sugar, adjust your meals, and stay active safely.

Exercise is a simple way to encourage your muscles to use the glucose (sugar) for energy, which naturally lowers your blood sugar levels. Doing gentle exercise alongside a gestational diabetes-friendly meal plan will help you to keep on top of managing your blood sugars without feeling overwhelmed and starting lots of changes all at once.

Your pregnancy will be carefully monitored, with extra appointments or scans if needed, to make sure both you and your baby are healthy. If additional treatment is needed, your healthcare team will explain everything clearly and support you, so you never have to figure it out alone.

FAQs: Gestational Diabetes during Pregnancy

Can gestational diabetes go away after birth?

Yes, gestational diabetes is specifically related to pregnancy only. However, follow-up checks are recommended to monitor for type 2 diabetes.

Will I get type 2 diabetes later?

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is higher if you have experienced gestational diabetes, but it’s not a cold, hard fact that you will develop diabetes after pregnancy. Annual blood sugar checks are recommended for monitoring.

Is gestational diabetes caused by sugar in diet?

No, but diet management is important. Diabetes UK maps out simple food swaps and tips to help you navigate how to eat healthily whilst following a gestational diabetes-friendly diet.

How to prevent diabetes during pregnancy?

You can reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy by:

• Maintaining a healthy weight before pregnancy
• Balanced diet
• Regular physical activity
• Good overall health supports glucose control and long-term wellbeing (Diabetes UK, 2024)

Final Thoughts

Gestational diabetes is common and manageable when you know how. Take reassurance that your midwife, doctor, and healthcare professionals know exactly how to support you because they help women with this condition every day - from supporting you with your glucose tests during pregnancy to guiding you through the steps to manage gestational diabetes confidently.

And just like so many maternal healthcare specialists out there, Lola&Lykke are proud to support women throughout their journey. From conception to your baby's first years, you are not alone, and you can find your village here, with Lola&Lykke.