How This Helps
Eating a healthy diet is an important way to treat Gestational Diabetes mellitus. The main objective of dietary management during Gestational Diabetes is to keep the blood glucose levels within normal range throughout the day, yet eating nutritionally balanced diets that provide nutrients from all food groups. Controlling the amount of carbohydrate intake, choosing healthier carbohydrate food sources, evenly distributing carbohydrate intake throughout the day, and pairing all essential nutrients required for adequate growth and development of the baby with carbohydrates helps regulate high blood glucose levels. Studies also support that carbohydrate restriction in patients with diet-controlled gestational diabetes mellitus results in improved glycemic control, less need for insulin therapy, a decrease in the incidence of large for gestational age infants, and a decrease in cesarean deliveries for ‘big bodied’ infants!1
