Pregnant women are often tested during their second trimester for a condition known as gestational diabetes, which is a form of diabetes that occurs only during pregnancy. However, for some women the test has borderline results. These women may be labeled as prediabetic. Following a healthy diet is one way to prevent prediabetes from developing into diabetes, and also helps maintain both mom's and baby's health.
Diagnosing Prediabetes
A label of prediabetes means someone is almost diabetic. According to the American Diabetes Association, prediabetes is the state in which a woman's blood glucose levels are higher than they should be, but are not consistently high enough to be labeled diabetic. Pregnant women often take a glucose tolerance test during their pregnancy, which involves drinking a sweet beverage and having blood tested for glucose levels after certain intervals of time. Women with borderline results may be advised to change their diet to prevent a full case of gestational diabetes from forming.
Making Diet Changes
According to the Mayo Clinic, managing blood sugar levels during pregnancy involves two things: watching what you eat, and watching how much you eat. Sticking to your recommended daily calorie guideline is one way to avoid raising glucose levels. However, the types of foods you eat have an impact as well. Pregnant women with prediabetes may need to limit the amount of carbohydrates they eat, and should focus on foods that are high in nutrition and low in calories. While every woman's needs are different based on their height, weight and general activity level, following a general guideline can help pregnant women with prediabetes keep blood glucose levels in check.
Healthy Dietary Choices
Medline Plus suggests women with gestational diabetes limit their starchy or sweet carbohydrates to only about half of their daily caloric intake. Carbohydrates include such foods as fruits and vegetables, cereals, breads, beans and pastas. However, the carbohydrates you do include in the diet should be high in fiber, as they can help keep blood sugar levels steady over time. Some good choices include fresh vegetables, fortified whole-grain cereals, fresh fruits and low-fat yogurts. In addition, when choosing proteins, Medline Plus suggests sticking to leaner cuts of meats and including low-mercury fish. Eggs and nuts also make healthy protein choices in moderation.
What to Eat
Medline Plus provides this carbohydrate guideline for the average woman with gestational diabetes, which is also healthy for women who are at risk for developing gestational diabetes: six servings of starches daily, three to five vegetables daily, two to four servings of fruit. These should be spaced out over meals and snacks to maintain steady blood sugar levels throughout the day. In addition, Medline Plus recommends two to three servings of protein, and four servings of dairy or its equivalent. If they also limit sweets and fats, pregnant women who follow these guidelines may prevent their prediabetes from becoming a problem for their developing baby's health.
