Myths vs Facts #2: Gestational diabetes

Today is the International Day of Action for Women’s Health, an excellent opportunity to discuss gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is first diagnosed during pregnancy and affects how cells process glucose (sugar). It is often treatable, usually without the need for insulin. Most women with gestational diabetes have normal pregnancies and give birth to healthy babies. Regular check-ups are important, and therapy options with a physician or even a regular monitoring in a diabetes practice should be considered. In most cases, gestational diabetes goes away after childbirth. However, it increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life and the likelihood of having gestational diabetes in future pregnancies. Therefore, it is essential to monitor your blood sugar levels regularly, even after giving birth.

While some factors are beyond our control, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and, consequently, type 2 diabetes. These include making healthy choices: eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

The MuSiC4Diabetes project aims to tackle type 2 diabetes management with efficient solutions, and improve significantly the quality of life of individuals living with diabetes. By developing a device gathering multi-metabolite sensing technology, a powerful control algorithm and a high-precision insulin pump into one device, the project will offer a compact, safe and long-lasting solution.

To learn more about the project and its approach, visit our Approach section.