What induces onset of gestational diabetes?

[CityDweller]

I have a probably irrational concern about developing gestational diabetes. What can cause someone who has had no previous diabetes, and is a healthy weight, become diabetic during pregnancy?

I hope my fears are unfounded, and are probably brought on by fact that prior to being pregnant I, for about six months, had pretty much eradicated all sugar and processed/ refined carbs from my diet. Since about 6 wks pg (I'm 11 now) I've been back on bread and carbs in general (mostly wholegrains, but pizza, ice cream and other crap now and then) and occasional fizzy drinks (something I NEVER used to drink) and have recently started eating chocolate like it's going out of fashion. Apart from feeling horribly bloated most of the time now, I'm also worried that suddenly upping my sugar/ carb intake is going to increase my risk of gd.

I'm hoping that once I hit second trimester, I'll be able to start eating more as I did before I was pregnant. But right now, I'm eating what I can (i.e. what doesn't make me gag at the thought of it) and, I guess, I feel I can eat unhealthy stuff I used to restrict because I'm pregnant and knackered and there has to be some joy in life . I'm a healthy weight (BMI is 21.7), have only put on a couple of pounds so far, and my blood glucose results from 8-wk tests were fine (although how that means anything as I wasn't told anything about eating, or not, before that blood test, so surely it's totally dependent on that?). No history of diabetes (either me or close family).

Am I just being stupid to be worried about developing gd? Should I save my worry for other things?

I'd say save your worry, because it'll make no difference whether you get it or not. There are three main risks:
Being overweight, your body can't produce sufficient insulin for your body mass
Ethnicity, some races are more likely to develop it. Caucasians have low risk, Africans higher risk
Immunology tendencies, people with other immunology conditions are more likely to get it or with a family history of diabetes

What you eat won't change your chance of getting I, but if you do get it, a low GI diet will help control the symptoms.

FWIW, I developed it. I'm Caucasian and a healthy weight but have a family history of diabetes and coeliac. Lots of people with risk factors don't get it, some do. Like anything in life,you can spend your whole pregnancy worrying about what might go wrong, but I'd advise enjoying the moment and taking everything as it comes.

By the way your body should be able to produce enough insulin to cope with whatever sugar you eat (providing you don't have diabetes) so that 8 week test makes sense. If you're blood sugar had been high then they would do a GTT, where they make you fast, feed you a certain amount of sugar and then test your blood sugar. A random sample is a good way if spotting people who may have it, of course an undiagnosed diabetic may happen to have good blood sugar that day, but they monitor in other ways (eg sugar in urine in pregnancy) so sooner or later that person would be picked up and the worse their diabetes the more likely that would be.

I had it, no major family history of diabetes, one great uncle.

My cousin also had it, I got rid of mine post pregnancy, she did not.

I do have other auto immune issues though and I am more worried about late onset diabetes tbh.

Don't spoil your pregnancy being worried about stuff you cannot control, no point making yourself miserable for the sake of it.

As far as I'm aware there is nothing you can do to prevent it if it's going to happen. I had low BMI pre-pregnancy, ate a healthy, balanced diet - including during pregnancy - and have no family history of diabetes, yet I got it. I think if your body can't produce the additional insulin required then nothing you can do would change that.

I'd save your worry for other things! Or just not worry at all

My bmi was 18.5 at the beginning of pregnancy. I was a complete health freak. Im caucasian and have no family history.

I still got it!