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Diabetes before and during pregnancy

Dietary considerations for women living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

Before you get pregnant, it is important to have a healthy balanced diet, based on the principles of the Eatwell Guide. This means ensuring you include all the main food groups in your diet across the day, in the recommended portion sizes. Please refer to the link on the Eatwell Guide for more information.

It is also recommended to have a body mass index (BMI) of 27kg/m2 or less when planning a pregnancy. If your BMI is above this range, it is recommended to lose some weight before getting pregnant. You can be referred to a dietitian for individualised dietary advice if you are planning a pregnancy.

Furthermore, if you are trying to get pregnant, it is important that you take a 5mg folic acid supplement once a day from at least four weeks prior to conception.

Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy.

If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, lifestyle intervention (i.e., diet and exercise) is important in helping control your blood glucose levels, thereby keeping you and your baby healthy. You should be referred for input from the Diabetes Specialist Nurse and the dietetic team, who will cover the appropriate information needed to monitor and manage your gestational diabetes.   

The dietary advice for gestational diabetes is based on the healthy eating principles according to the Eatwell Guide, and this is recommended throughout pregnancy. Having a good awareness of foods that affect blood glucose levels (i.e., starchy carbohydrates, sugary carbohydrates and natural sugars in fruit and milk) is important so that you can adjust your diet accordingly to help with glucose control. It is also recommended to try and switch from high to low glycaemic index foods (see link for BDA resource download on glycaemic index). Furthermore, doing light-to-moderate exercise is also encouraged in pregnancy. Examples of gentle exercise include walking or swimming.

It is also recommended that you take folic acid (5mg/day) until 12 weeks of gestation to reduce the risk of problems with baby’s development. Pregnant women are also advised to take a daily vitamin D supplement between September and March. If you are eligible for the Healthy Start Scheme, you can get free vitamins whilst you are pregnant.

Finally, the ‘Foodwise in Pregnancy’ app is a free resource to use for information on eating well and keeping active during pregnancy. Please see the link at the bottom of the page for more information on how to download this.

Useful links and resources