QuestionI'm 22 wks pregnant. I was told to gain 15 lbs throughout my pregnancy because I'm 5'1" and (pre-pregnancy) 178 lbs. I gained 2 lbs during the first trimester, but without any change in eating or lifestyle, I've gained 10 over the past 4 weeks alone, for a total of 15 so far!
Could that be caused by gestational diabetes or some other pregnancy-related issue? I have an identical twin sister who had 2 very complicated pregnancies due to gestational diabetes. (She acually gained about 60 lbs with each.) Could gd in the family since we're twins? My doctor has scheduled my gd test for 28 weeks. Should I ask her to do it sooner?
AnswerThe time to test for gestational diabetes is at 28 weeks gestation. Taking the test earlier will not diagnose diabetes. I think that it is unreasonable to ask you to only gain 15 lbs for the entire pregnancy. I believe you should gain 2-3lbs per visit. If you gain more than 5lbs in one visit (one month) you are eating too much. When you get to 28 weeks and take the glucose tolerance test, if you have any abnormal values on the test, you will be given a different diet. If you have diabetes, you may even be given insulin during the pregnancy. However, at this point, I would not do anything different, except watch what you eat. Avoid lots of juices or caloric foods. Eat a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, with leafy vegetables. Usually, we desire a pregnant women to gain around 28-30lbs for the entire pregnancy (even if she is short in stature).
