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The Question
10/24/11 10:47 PM

"Is it ok to restrict carbs while pregnant?"
Asked By: laurenj  
Category: Food and Nutrition

Background Info Hide
Hi, my husband and I are considering trying to have a baby next year. I'm 22 years old, type 1, insulin pump user who recently suffered a miscarriage this summer with an unplanned pregnancy. I've been working hard at controlling my sugars and have found that restricting carbs helps keep my sugars much more stable, especially with lows because I require less insulin (I'm very active). I still eat low glycemic carbohydrate and a lot of calories each day but eat mostly vegetables, avocado, salads, nuts, low GI fruit, healthy fish, beans, lentils, oatmeal. Can I continue eating this way throughout pregnancy? I can easily increase calories but feel it's best for my blood glucose control to restrict carbs. Your advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!

Expert Answers (1)

10/26/11 04:56 PM

Hello,

Thanks for asking dLife.

Preconception counseling assures optimal outcome. Eating nutritiously before conception and throughout pregnancy is essential for the health of both Mom and baby.

At endo clinic, we have been helping future Moms improve their nutritional status as well as normalize their blood glucose levels before conception. Severe carbohydrate restriction is not recommended. Low carbohydrate diets can also make it harder to get some vitamins and minerals, such as calcium and vitamin D.

Consider touching base with a registered dietitian to review your meal and exercise plan. He or she can determine how best to obtain all the essential nutrients (not just carbs) in adequate amounts.

Learn more about planning a pregnancy with diabetes!

Take care.

Answered By: Liz Quintana
Accreditations: EdD, RD, LD, CDE
Sources Show

Community Answers (2)

11/02/11 11:18 AM

as you have already learned, you are healthier w/better bg when restricting carbs. just as the previous post said, baby is healthier with non-elevated bg. if you see a dietician, be wary. during my 5th preg (3rd as a diabetic) a so-called dietician handed me a premade photocopied diet. she then proceeded to tell me that if i was spilling ketones, i was going to go into dka. i laughed at her & told her she didn't have a clue, as my ketones were a result of my low carb diet & if my bg was normal, there was NO WAY i risked dka. she then told me i should eat graham crackers to keep from spilling ketones. i told her nope, grahman crackers are JUNK food, no nutritian, & i would not eat that but instead fresh veggies or fruit. she told the ob that i was nonclomplient & he threatened to fire me as a patient. needless to say, i "faked" my menus after that, kept my bg normal except for 1 or 2 times it went over 140. 7#14oz baby girl born w/no complications. we were released when she was 29hrs old. btw, i was 17# lighter the day she was born, compared to 1st ob appt & 40# lighter at 6week checkup. so trust your instincts, sometimes you know more about diabetes than they do. good luck.
Answered By: lmnohos
FLAG
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11/01/11 12:21 PM

Babies and blood glucose In a review in The British Journal of Nutrition of the current literature on maternal glycemia and the role of the dietary GI and its impact on pregnancy outcomes, the authors conclude: ‘Data from clinical studies in healthy pregnant women have documented that consuming a low-GI diet during pregnancy reduces peaks in postprandial glucose levels and normalises infant birth weight. Pregnancy is a physiological condition where the GI may be of particular relevance as glucose is the primary fuel for fetal growth.’ Prof Jennie Brand-Miller explains. ‘A woman’s body changes during pregnancy to ensure a steady supply of glucose to her baby,’ she says. ‘Glucose is the main fuel the baby uses to grow and it crosses freely from mother to baby through the placenta. How much glucose the baby receives depends directly on the mother’s blood glucose level and the rate of placental blood flow. If a woman’s blood glucose level is high, then higher levels of glucose will also be transferred to her baby. Babies make their own insulin from about 15 weeks to handle glucose. So the extra glucose stimulates the baby’s pancreas to make extra insulin. The extra glucose is metabolised and stored, making the baby grow bigger and fatter than normal. The good news for pregnant women is that by treating elevated glucose levels during pregnancy, the risk of any problems drops considerably. And this is where the GI comes to the fore. Foods with a low GI typically evoke a lower rise in blood glucose levels, making maintenance of normal glucose levels easier.’
Answered By: kenhampshire
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