Design a healthy meal plan (The Healthy Eating Index diet). Weight loss and maintenance, and exercise before and during pregnancy can help protect you.
Are You at Increased Risk?
If you had GDM you are more likely to develop diabetes. In the Diabetes Prevention Program, lifestyle change and metformin delayed type 2 in individuals with gestational diabetes.
Design a healthy meal plan (The Healthy Eating Index diet). Weight loss and maintenance, and exercise before and during pregnancy can help protect you.
Understanding an Important Study
The Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group and other researchers conducted an significant study with 350 women with a history of GDM and 1,416 women without GDM. The women began with a BMI of 24 or higher and fasting glucose between 95-125. Participants were randomized to either standard lifestyle and placebo, or metformin therapy, or to an intensive lifestyle intervention. Although all study particpants had similar glucose levels at the beginning of the study, women with a history of GDM randomized to placebo had an incidence rate of type 2 that was 71% higher than that of women without such a history. Among women reporting a history of GDM, both intensive lifestyle and metformin therapy reduced the incidence of type 2 by approximately 50% compared with the placebo group; whereas, this reduction was 49 and 14%, respectively in women who had given birth one more more times who did not have GDM.
Design a healthy meal plan (The Healthy Eating Index diet). Weight loss and maintenance, and exercise before and during pregnancy can help protect you.
Study Conclusions
Metformin and lifestyle changes were effective in decreasing the likelihood of developing Diabetes 10 years after GDM. In those without GDM history, lifestyle not metformin reduced progression to type 2.
Design a healthy meal plan (The Healthy Eating Index diet). Weight loss and maintenance, and exercise before and during pregnancy can help protect you.
Life After Birth
How much weight did you gain with your baby? How much weight do you still have to lose since delivering? Getting back to your pre-pregnancy weight or losing at least 7% of your weight and staying active can decrease your chances of developing Diabetes in the future. The time for change is now. You are worth it.
