Prevention does what???

When women talk to each other, many think the risks of future diabetes are exaggerated. Others say there is no prevention, so why not eat and be merry until something develops.

“Uhhh ‘do these things to prevent GDM?’ Really? I did everything, ate perfectly, walked over 30 min everyday & still got it then was immediately diagnosed within 6wks of my 2nd pregnancy. Please stop giving false hopes to women who do everything to prevent GDM & still end up getting it. It can make moms (no matter 1st time, 2nd time…) feel like failures.” [Facebook]

The result is a lost opportunity to be healthy!

Diet and exercise and/or treatment with a hypoglycemic medication help avoid, delay or lessen the consequences of diabetes, but many women with GDM learn too late what they could do to prevent getting type 2 diabetes.

For more information, see the evidence for successful lifestyle intervention:  Ferrara A, Ehrlich SF. Strategies for diabetes prevention before and after pregnancy in women with GDM. Curr Diabetes Rev  2011;7:75-83.