7 Key Gestational Diabetes Symptoms Every Pregnant Woman Should Know

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy, typically in the second or third trimester. It affects how your cells use sugar (glucose) and causes high blood sugar levels that can affect your pregnancy and your baby’s health. Unlike other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes usually disappears after delivery, but it’s crucial to recognize the symptoms early to manage the condition effectively.

While many women with gestational diabetes may not notice obvious symptoms, understanding the warning signs can help with early detection and proper management. This condition affects approximately 2-10% of pregnancies in the United States, making it one of the most common health complications during pregnancy.

1. Increased Thirst (Polydipsia)

One of the hallmark symptoms of gestational diabetes is excessive thirst that doesn’t seem to go away no matter how much water you drink. This occurs because high blood sugar levels pull fluid from your tissues, leaving you feeling dehydrated constantly.

While it’s normal for pregnant women to feel thirstier than usual due to increased blood volume and the needs of the growing baby, gestational diabetes takes this to an extreme level. You may find yourself:

• Drinking significantly more fluids than before pregnancy
• Feeling parched even after consuming large amounts of water
• Waking up at night with an intense need to drink
• Experiencing dry mouth persistently

If you notice that your thirst seems unquenchable and is accompanied by other symptoms, it’s important to discuss this with your healthcare provider.

2. Frequent Urination (Polyuria)

Increased urination goes hand-in-hand with excessive thirst. When blood sugar levels are elevated, your kidneys work overtime to filter and absorb the excess glucose. When your kidneys can’t keep up, the excess sugar is excreted into your urine, drawing along fluids from your tissues.

While frequent urination is already a common pregnancy symptom due to the pressure of the growing uterus on the bladder, gestational diabetes intensifies this significantly. You might notice:

• Needing to urinate much more frequently than other pregnant women
• Producing larger volumes of urine each time
• Multiple nighttime bathroom trips that disrupt your sleep
• Urgency that seems more intense than typical pregnancy-related frequency

3. Persistent Fatigue and Weakness

Feeling exhausted during pregnancy is normal, but gestational diabetes can cause an overwhelming level of fatigue that interferes with daily activities. This happens because your body isn’t efficiently converting food into energy due to insulin resistance.

When your cells don’t get enough glucose because insulin isn’t working properly, you’re essentially running on empty even after eating. This type of fatigue is characterized by:

• Extreme tiredness that doesn’t improve with rest
• Lack of energy to perform routine tasks
• Feeling weak or shaky, especially between meals
• Difficulty concentrating or mental fog
• Needing frequent naps throughout the day

If your fatigue seems disproportionate to your activity level and is persistent despite adequate rest, it could be a sign of gestational diabetes.

4. Blurred Vision

High blood sugar levels can cause fluid to be pulled from the lenses of your eyes, affecting your ability to focus properly. This results in blurred vision that may come and go throughout the day, often correlating with blood sugar fluctuations.

Vision changes during pregnancy can occur for various reasons, but when related to gestational diabetes, you may experience:

• Difficulty focusing on objects both near and far
• Vision that seems hazy or cloudy
• Problems reading or doing detailed work
• Vision that worsens after meals when blood sugar spikes
• Improvement in vision when blood sugar is better controlled

It’s important to note that while blurred vision from gestational diabetes is usually temporary and resolves after delivery or when blood sugar is controlled, you should never ignore vision changes during pregnancy.

5. Unusual Hunger (Polyphagia)

Despite eating regular meals, women with gestational diabetes often experience persistent hunger. This symptom occurs because glucose isn’t moving efficiently from the bloodstream into the cells where it’s needed for energy, leaving your body feeling starved even after eating.

This type of hunger differs from normal pregnancy cravings or increased appetite. With gestational diabetes, you may notice:

• Feeling hungry shortly after finishing a meal
• Cravings that seem impossible to satisfy
• A gnawing hunger sensation in your stomach
• Eating more than usual but still feeling unsatisfied
• Irritability or shakiness when meals are delayed

This constant hunger can lead to weight gain beyond normal pregnancy weight gain recommendations, which itself can complicate diabetes management.

6. Recurrent Infections

High blood sugar levels create an environment where bacteria and yeast thrive, making pregnant women with gestational diabetes more susceptible to various infections. The most common types include urinary tract infections (UTIs), vaginal yeast infections, and skin infections.

You should be aware of the following infection-related symptoms:

• Frequent vaginal yeast infections causing itching, burning, and discharge
• Urinary tract infections with burning during urination or pelvic discomfort
• Slow-healing cuts or wounds
• Skin infections or unusual rashes
• Bladder infections that keep returning despite treatment

High glucose levels in your urine also provide an ideal environment for bacteria to grow, increasing the risk of urinary tract infections. If you’re experiencing recurrent infections during pregnancy, it’s worth discussing gestational diabetes screening with your healthcare provider.

7. Excessive Weight Gain or Unexpected Weight Loss

While weight gain is expected during pregnancy, gestational diabetes can cause abnormal weight changes. Some women experience excessive weight gain beyond recommended levels, while others may have difficulty gaining weight or even lose weight despite adequate food intake.

Excessive weight gain may occur due to:

• Insulin resistance causing more glucose to be stored as fat
• Increased hunger leading to overeating
• Fluid retention associated with high blood sugar

Conversely, unexpected weight loss can happen when:

• Your body can’t utilize glucose properly for energy
• Your body starts breaking down fat and muscle for fuel instead
• Despite eating well, calories aren’t being absorbed efficiently

Both scenarios require medical attention, as appropriate weight gain is crucial for a healthy pregnancy and fetal development.

What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

Understanding the causes of gestational diabetes can help you recognize your risk factors and take preventive measures when possible. The exact cause isn’t completely understood, but several factors contribute to its development:

Hormonal Changes: During pregnancy, the placenta produces hormones that help the baby develop. However, these hormones also block the action of the mother’s insulin, creating a condition called insulin resistance. As the placenta grows, it produces more of these hormones, making insulin resistance worse, typically starting around week 20 to 24 of pregnancy.

Insufficient Insulin Production: The pancreas normally produces extra insulin to overcome this resistance. However, in some women, the pancreas can’t keep up with the increased demand, leading to elevated blood sugar levels and gestational diabetes.

Risk Factors Include:

• Being Overweight or Obese: Having a BMI over 25 before pregnancy significantly increases risk
• Age: Women over 25, especially those over 35, have a higher risk
• Family History: Having a parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes increases your likelihood
• Previous Gestational Diabetes: If you had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, you’re more likely to develop it again
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): This condition is associated with insulin resistance
• Previous Large Baby: If you’ve previously delivered a baby weighing over 9 pounds
• Ethnicity: Higher rates occur in African American, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian women
• Prediabetes: Having higher-than-normal blood sugar levels before pregnancy
• Sedentary Lifestyle: Lack of physical activity before and during pregnancy

Prevention Strategies for Gestational Diabetes

While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent gestational diabetes, adopting healthy lifestyle habits before and during pregnancy can significantly reduce your risk. Here are evidence-based strategies that can help:

Before Pregnancy:

• Achieve a Healthy Weight: If you’re planning to become pregnant and are currently overweight, losing even 5-10% of your body weight can significantly reduce your risk
• Exercise Regularly: Engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week
• Eat a Balanced Diet: Focus on whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats while limiting processed foods and added sugars

During Pregnancy:

• Maintain Appropriate Weight Gain: Follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations for healthy pregnancy weight gain based on your pre-pregnancy BMI
• Stay Physically Active: Continue moderate exercise as approved by your doctor, such as walking, swimming, or prenatal yoga
• Follow a Nutritious Diet: Eat regular, balanced meals with complex carbohydrates, adequate protein, and plenty of fiber. Consider working with a registered dietitian who specializes in prenatal nutrition
• Limit Added Sugars: Reduce consumption of sugary drinks, desserts, and refined carbohydrates
• Attend All Prenatal Appointments: Regular check-ups allow for early screening and detection
• Monitor Portion Sizes: Eating appropriate portions helps control blood sugar and weight gain
• Choose Low Glycemic Index Foods: These foods cause a slower, more gradual rise in blood sugar

Get Screened: Even if you have no symptoms, all pregnant women should be screened for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. If you have risk factors, your healthcare provider may recommend earlier screening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can gestational diabetes occur without any symptoms?

Yes, most women with gestational diabetes don’t experience noticeable symptoms, which is why routine screening between 24-28 weeks of pregnancy is so important. Many cases are only discovered through standard glucose screening tests.

When do gestational diabetes symptoms typically appear?

Gestational diabetes usually develops during the second or third trimester, typically around weeks 24-28 of pregnancy when pregnancy hormones that interfere with insulin action are at higher levels. Symptoms, if present, would appear around this time.

Will gestational diabetes harm my baby?

If properly managed, most women with gestational diabetes have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. However, uncontrolled gestational diabetes can lead to complications such as excessive birth weight, premature birth, breathing difficulties, and low blood sugar in the newborn. This is why early detection and management are crucial.

Does gestational diabetes go away after delivery?

In most cases, gestational diabetes resolves shortly after delivery when pregnancy hormones return to normal. However, you should be tested 6-12 weeks after delivery to ensure blood sugar levels have returned to normal. Women who have had gestational diabetes have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

How is gestational diabetes diagnosed?

Gestational diabetes is diagnosed through glucose screening tests. The most common is the glucose challenge test, where you drink a sugary solution and have your blood sugar tested after one hour. If results are high, you’ll undergo a glucose tolerance test, which involves fasting overnight, drinking a glucose solution, and having blood drawn at multiple intervals over 2-3 hours.

Can I prevent gestational diabetes if I had it in a previous pregnancy?

While having gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy increases your risk for recurrence, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, and staying physically active before and during your next pregnancy can help reduce the risk. Work closely with your healthcare provider for early monitoring and intervention.

Is gestational diabetes the same as type 1 or type 2 diabetes?

No, gestational diabetes is different from type 1 and type 2 diabetes. It occurs only during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and usually resolves after delivery. However, it does increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, while type 2 diabetes is primarily related to insulin resistance and lifestyle factors.

Should I be concerned if I only have one symptom?

Many individual symptoms of gestational diabetes, such as fatigue and frequent urination, are common in normal pregnancies. However, if you notice any unusual or severe symptoms, or a combination of several symptoms, you should discuss them with your healthcare provider. Don’t wait for your routine screening if you’re concerned—early testing can be arranged.

References:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Gestational Diabetes
• Mayo Clinic – Gestational Diabetes
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases – Gestational Diabetes
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – Gestational Diabetes
• American Diabetes Association – Gestational Diabetes