By the Lalwani Mother and Child Care team, Pune | Author & Medically reviewed by: Dr. Sunita Lalwani | Last reviewed: October 2026
| Quick answers
• What it is: gestational diabetes is high blood sugar first found during pregnancy. It is usually picked up by a glucose test at 24 to 28 weeks, or earlier if you are at higher risk. • Symptoms: most women have none, so the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is the only reliable way to know. • Treatment: a balanced diet, daily walking and regular sugar checks control it in many women. Some need insulin or metformin. • After delivery: sugar often returns to normal, but you need a repeat test 4 to 12 weeks after delivery and regular checks afterwards. |
If your doctor has asked you to take a sugar test in pregnancy, or your result has come back high, it is normal to have questions. This guide explains gestational diabetes symptoms, how the glucose test works, and what a gestational diabetes diet looks like with everyday Indian meals. It is written to help you prepare for your next antenatal visit. It does not replace advice from your own doctor.
What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is high blood sugar that is first detected during pregnancy. Hormones from the placenta make your body less responsive to insulin. When your body cannot make enough extra insulin to keep up, sugar builds up in the blood. It is diagnosed with a glucose tolerance test and managed with diet, activity and, when needed, medicine.
Sugar found very high early in pregnancy may be diabetes that was already present before you conceived. That is why doctors test higher-risk women at the first antenatal visit instead of waiting for the second trimester.
Gestational diabetes symptoms: what to look for
Most women with gestational diabetes have no symptoms at all. This is why screening is routine for every pregnant woman and not only for those who feel unwell.
When symptoms do appear, they can include:
- Unusual thirst or a dry mouth
- Passing urine much more often than the usual increase in pregnancy
- Tiredness that feels out of proportion
- Blurred vision
- Repeated urinary or vaginal infections
Many of these overlap with ordinary pregnancy, so symptoms can neither confirm nor rule out gestational diabetes. Only a blood test can do that.
Gestational diabetes risk factors: who is more likely to get it?
Anyone can develop gestational diabetes, but your chances are higher if you have one or more of these:
- Overweight or obesity before pregnancy
- Higher maternal age
- Gestational diabetes in an earlier pregnancy
- A parent or sibling with type 2 diabetes
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- A previous baby weighing more than 4 kg
- Indian or South Asian origin. Indian guidelines note a higher risk than in many other populations
- Low physical activity
Having a risk factor does not mean you will develop it, and many women with gestational diabetes have no risk factors at all. That is why everyone is screened.
Why gestational diabetes needs attention
When sugar stays high, extra glucose crosses the placenta and your baby makes more insulin, which can make the baby grow larger than expected. Uncontrolled gestational diabetes can lead to a difficult delivery or a higher chance of a C-section, low blood sugar in the baby after birth, newborn jaundice, and raised blood pressure (preeclampsia) in the mother. Good control lowers these risks considerably, which is why regular antenatal checkups matter.
Gestational diabetes test in pregnancy: when and how
When is the test done?
Indian guidelines from the Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group India (DIPSI) advise testing at your first antenatal visit and again at 24 to 28 weeks if the first test is normal, with at least 4 weeks between the two tests. If you first come for care after 28 weeks, one test is done. Women at higher risk are tested earlier.
OGTT test in pregnancy: how it works
The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) checks how your body handles a measured dose of sugar. You drink 75 g of glucose dissolved in about 300 ml of water within 5 to 10 minutes, and your blood sugar is measured afterwards. Two methods are in use, and different hospitals follow different ones.
- International method (IADPSG/WHO criteria): a fasting sample, then samples at 1 hour and 2 hours. Gestational diabetes is diagnosed if any one value reaches or crosses its limit.
- Indian single-step method (DIPSI): one sample 2 hours after the glucose drink. You do not need to be fasting.
Normal sugar levels in pregnancy: OGTT cut-offs
On the 75 g OGTT, gestational diabetes is diagnosed when your plasma glucose reaches or exceeds these values:
| Method | Fasting | 1 hour | 2 hours |
| International (IADPSG) | 92 mg/dL (5.1 mmol/L) | 180 mg/dL (10.0 mmol/L) | 153 mg/dL (8.5 mmol/L) |
| Indian (DIPSI) | Not required | Not measured | 140 mg/dL |
So normal sugar levels in pregnancy on the international method are a fasting value below 92 mg/dL, a 1-hour value below 180 mg/dL and a 2-hour value below 153 mg/dL. On the DIPSI method, a 2-hour value below 140 mg/dL is normal. Ask your doctor which criteria your lab uses.
Glucose tolerance test fasting rules: how to prepare
- Fast for about 8 hours if you are having the fasting OGTT. Most women book a morning slot so the fast happens overnight. If your doctor orders the non-fasting DIPSI test, you do not need to fast.
- Water is allowed. No food, tea, coffee, juice or other drinks during the fast.
- Eat normally in the days before. Do not cut out rice, roti or fruit to “prepare”, as this can distort the result.
- Ask about regular medicines. Check with your doctor whether to take them before the test.
- Stay seated during the test. Walking around, exercise and drinking a lot of water between samples can change results.
- If you vomit within 30 minutes of the glucose drink, the test is repeated the next day. After 30 minutes, the result stands.
- Plan for 2 to 3 hours at the lab. Nausea or sweating from the sweet drink is common and passes. Carry a snack for afterwards.
Gestational diabetes diet: what to eat
Diet is the first and most important treatment. The aim is steady blood sugar through the day, not starving. Severe calorie restriction can cause ketones to build up and is not recommended in pregnancy. These are the principles used in Indian guidelines:
- Eat 3 main meals and 2 to 3 snacks at regular times. Do not skip meals.
- Use a simple plate method: about half the plate whole grains or millets, a quarter protein (dal, pulses, paneer, egg, fish or chicken) and a quarter vegetables. Your dietitian may add more salad or non-starchy vegetables.
- Choose complex carbohydrates: whole wheat, jowar, bajra, ragi, oats and small portions of brown rice instead of maida and polished rice.
- Add protein to every meal and snack. Vegetarians can rely on 2 to 3 cups of dal or whole pulses a day.
- Have about 500 ml of toned milk or curd a day, unless advised otherwise.
- Keep cooking oil to about 20 ml (4 teaspoons) a day.
Many diet plans use roughly 45 g of carbohydrate in each main meal and about 30 g in each snack. Your own targets depend on your weight, your sugar readings and whether you are vegetarian, so your plan may differ. Our guide to nutrition during pregnancy covers foods for the whole nine months.
Sample gestational diabetes diet chart Indian mothers can follow
| Meal | Sample options |
| Early morning | Warm water and 4 to 5 soaked almonds |
| Breakfast | Besan or moong dal chilla with mint chutney and a bowl of curd, or vegetable poha or upma with sprouts and a boiled egg |
| Mid-morning | Cucumber and tomato salad with a small handful of roasted chana, or one small portion of apple, guava or pear with a few nuts |
| Lunch | 1 to 2 multigrain, jowar or bajra rotis, a bowl of dal or rajma, a bowl of sabzi, salad and a small bowl of curd or buttermilk |
| Evening snack | Sprouts chaat, roasted makhana, or buttermilk with roasted chana |
| Dinner | Light meal: 1 to 2 rotis or millet khichdi with dal, paneer, fish or chicken and green vegetables such as palak, lauki or bhindi |
| Bedtime | A glass of warm toned milk without sugar |
This is a sample, not a prescription. Portions and carbohydrate counts should be set with your obstetrician or dietitian.
Foods to limit or avoid
- Sugar, jaggery, honey and sweets such as mithai, gulab jamun and halwa
- Fruit juices, cold drinks, sweetened lassi and packaged drinks
- Maida products: white bread, biscuits, naan and bakery items
- Large portions of white rice, potato and other starchy foods
- Fried snacks such as samosa, vada pav and chips
- Very sweet fruits in large portions (mango, banana, grapes, chikoo). A small portion with protein may be fine if your readings allow
Festival tip: during Diwali and other festivals, ask your doctor before having any sweet. If your doctor agrees, keep the portion small and have it after a meal rather than on an empty stomach.
How to control sugar in pregnancy naturally
You can control sugar in pregnancy naturally by eating balanced meals at regular times, staying active every day, sleeping well and checking your sugar as advised. These steps work for many women, but they should be done under your doctor’s supervision, not instead of it.
- Move daily. Aim for about 30 minutes of walking or active household work. A short walk after meals helps many women.
- Try gentle exercise such as prenatal yoga once your doctor approves.
- Track your sugar. Check fasting and after-meal readings as advised and keep a log to show at each visit.
- Keep weight gain on track with the targets your doctor gives you.
- Protect your sleep and find ways to manage stress, as both affect blood sugar.
- Skip unproven remedies. Do not take herbal “sugar cures” or supplements without asking your doctor. Evidence in pregnancy is limited.
When are medicines or insulin needed?
If your after-meal sugar stays high after about two weeks of diet and activity changes, your doctor may add medicine. Insulin is the usual first choice in pregnancy, and metformin may be used in some cases. Needing medicine does not mean you did something wrong. Placenta hormones increase insulin resistance as pregnancy advances, so some women need extra help even with a careful diet. Women with gestational diabetes are usually seen more often and may have extra growth scans to track the baby.
Can gestational diabetes go away after delivery?
Yes, in most women blood sugar returns to normal soon after delivery. But gestational diabetes is not something to forget once the baby is born. You need a repeat glucose test 4 to 12 weeks after delivery (some Indian protocols retest at 6 weeks) to check for diabetes or prediabetes. Up to one in three women with gestational diabetes still has raised sugar at this check.
- If the test is normal, repeat it every 1 to 3 years.
- Your lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes is higher. Some estimates put it as high as 70%. Keeping a healthy weight, staying active and breastfeeding can lower it.
- It can return in a future pregnancy. Tell your doctor early next time so testing can start at your first visit.
Our guide to postpartum care covers recovery and self-care after birth.
Gestational diabetes treatment in Pune: care at Lalwani Mother and Child Care
If you are looking for gestational diabetes treatment in Pune, or a pregnancy sugar test in Pune, you can get your antenatal screening, sonography and lab tests, high risk pregnancy care and NICU and PICU support at one hospital on Pune Satara Road. Our obstetricians and gynecologists confirm your result, explain your plan, monitor your sugar and your baby’s growth, and plan your delivery with you.
Whether you need a gynecologist for gestational diabetes in Pune or a high risk pregnancy hospital in Pune for the rest of your pregnancy, the doctors page lists our consultants, and information on maternity packages is available on our site. Tests and treatment are always advised by your treating doctor based on your own health.
| Address | Pune Satara Road, Opposite NEXA Showroom, Near Chandukaka Saraf, Pune 411 009 |
| Phone | 020 68686868 |
| Hours | Monday to Sunday, 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. 24-hour emergency services available |
When to call your doctor
Contact your doctor the same day, or come to emergency care, if you notice:
- Sugar readings repeatedly above the targets your doctor gave you
- Extreme thirst, repeated vomiting, drowsiness or confusion
- Your baby moving less than usual
- Shakiness, sweating or dizziness if you are on insulin (this can be low sugar)
- Severe headache, vision changes or sudden swelling of the face and hands
Frequently asked questions
1. What are the first signs of gestational diabetes?
Most women have no signs. When they appear, the first ones are usually unusual thirst, frequent urination, tiredness and blurred vision. These overlap with normal pregnancy, so a glucose test between 24 and 28 weeks (earlier if you are high risk) is the only reliable way to find out.
2. What is a normal sugar level in pregnancy?
On the 75 g OGTT, a fasting value below 92 mg/dL, a 1-hour value below 180 mg/dL and a 2-hour value below 153 mg/dL are normal by international criteria. The Indian DIPSI method treats a 2-hour value below 140 mg/dL as normal.
3. Do I need to fast for the glucose test in pregnancy?
For the fasting OGTT, yes. Fast about 8 hours, drinking only water. The Indian DIPSI single-step test can be done without fasting. Your doctor or lab will tell you which one applies to you.
4. Is the OGTT safe for the baby?
Yes. The OGTT is a standard screening test used worldwide in pregnancy. The glucose drink can cause nausea or sweating, which passes quickly.
5. Can I control gestational diabetes with diet alone?
Many women can. Balanced meals, daily walking and regular sugar checks control it for a large share of mothers. If your after-meal sugar stays high after about two weeks, your doctor may add insulin or metformin.
6. Can gestational diabetes go away after delivery?
In most women, blood sugar returns to normal soon after delivery. You still need a repeat glucose test 4 to 12 weeks later and regular checks every 1 to 3 years, because your risk of type 2 diabetes stays higher.
7. What can I eat for breakfast with gestational diabetes?
Good choices pair protein with complex carbohydrates: besan or moong dal chilla with curd, vegetable poha with sprouts and an egg, or vegetable upma with a glass of toned milk. Avoid sweetened cereals, white bread and fruit juice.
8. Does gestational diabetes mean I need a C-section?
No. Many women with well-controlled gestational diabetes deliver normally. The decision depends on your baby’s size, your sugar control and other health factors, which your obstetrician will review with you.