What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?

Written by Liu Wen Li

Obstetrics

Updated on May 17, 2025

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The symptoms of gestational diabetes vary depending on the severity of the disease. Most cases of gestational diabetes are symptomless and are only detected when high blood sugar levels are found during diabetes screening. Therefore, it is recommended to perform a 75g glucose screening during pregnancy, at the very least, fasting blood sugar should also be checked because most diabetic patients do not notice any symptoms on their own. If the diabetes is more severe, the patient may experience symptoms such as increased thirst, increased appetite, weight loss, and frequent urination.

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Written by Du Rui Xia

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What are the symptoms of a baby born to a mother with gestational diabetes?

During pregnancy, if a pregnant woman suffers from high blood glucose, it can potentially impact the fetus's growth and development. After the baby is born, this may result in a larger size of the fetus, and a decrease in the baby's immune system, making them more susceptible to infectious diseases. If high blood glucose occurs during pregnancy, it is important to control the diet promptly, eat less sugary food, and also control the portion of food. If necessary, medical treatment under the guidance of a doctor can also be conducted to maintain blood glucose at a stable level. If blood glucose is well-controlled during pregnancy, the baby will be just like other healthy babies after birth.

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Written by Chen Xie

Endocrinology

1min 19sec

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Can you eat pumpkin with gestational diabetes?

The overall principle of dietary control for patients with gestational diabetes is to manage total calorie intake and to eat smaller, more frequent meals. Consuming five to six meals a day can help stabilize blood sugar levels and reduce the occurrence of hypoglycemia. Therefore, for patients with gestational diabetes, foods that can rapidly increase blood sugar levels, such as those high in sugar, starch, and fat, should be consumed less frequently, as these foods can easily be converted into glucose, leading to an increase in blood sugar levels. Pumpkin, which is high in carbohydrates, should also be eaten in moderation. However, this does not mean that pumpkin cannot be eaten at all. When consuming pumpkin, it should be treated as a staple food. After eating pumpkin, the amount of other staple foods in that meal should be reduced. This helps in maintaining good blood sugar control. Therefore, patients with gestational diabetes can still eat pumpkin, but it should not be treated as a vegetable. Instead, it should be considered like rice, and the amount of rice should be reduced when pumpkin is consumed.

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Written by Gan Jun

Endocrinology

55sec

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What are the symptoms of gestational diabetes?

Patients with gestational diabetes have different constitutions, ages, and weights, so their clinical symptoms also vary greatly. The more typical symptoms include the obvious "three polys and one less," namely polyuria, polydipsia, polyphagia, and unintended weight loss. Pregnant women are prone to recurrent vulvar infections and itching. Some patients with gestational diabetes may not show obvious symptoms, while others may experience a series of adverse symptoms such as excessive amniotic fluid, vulvar itching, and ketoacidosis. If blood sugar is not well-controlled during pregnancy, it can cause delayed growth and development of the fetus. Gestational diabetes can pose significant risks to both the fetus and the pregnant woman. Therefore, timely diet, exercise, and appropriate insulin treatment should be administered.

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Written by Chen Xie

Endocrinology

49sec

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How to reduce blood sugar in gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes cannot be treated with oral medications, as they can affect the fetus. Currently, the main treatment for gestational diabetes in China is insulin, with options for short-acting or rapid-acting insulin. If fasting blood glucose is high, long-acting insulin can be used to control fasting blood glucose levels. If post-meal blood glucose is high, short-acting or rapid-acting insulin can be used to control post-meal blood glucose levels. The blood glucose control standards for gestational diabetes are fasting blood glucose between 4.0 and 5.3, and two hours post-meal blood glucose between 4.4 and 6.7.

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Written by Tang Zhuo

Endocrinology

1min 7sec

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Gestational diabetes manifestations

Gestational diabetes refers to hyperglycemia that either develops or is first identified during pregnancy, including previously unrecognized glucose intolerance and diabetes prior to pregnancy. Typical symptoms of gestational diabetes include frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger, or recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis. High vigilance for gestational diabetes is warranted if the pregnant woman weighs over 90 kilograms, or if the current pregnancy is complicated by excessive amniotic fluid or a macrosomic fetus. The danger of this condition is that, in severe cases or where blood sugar control is poor, it can easily lead to miscarriage and preterm birth, as well as infections, and in severe cases, may lead to ketoacidosis. Treatment involves two aspects: one is dietary control, and for patients who cannot control their diet effectively, insulin treatment can be used. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)