Meghan Trainor is due to give birth in February and was diagnosed with a pregnancy-related health condition that’s more common than many people realize: gestational diabetes. She’s now managing the condition by paying extra attention to her food choices, Trainor explained in a new interview with Today.
“Got a little little tiny bump in the road—I got diagnosed with gestational diabetes, but it’s manageable and it’s OK and I’m healthy and the baby’s healthy,” Trainor said in the interview. “I just have to really pay attention to everything I eat. It’s nice to learn so much about food and health and nice to hear that so many women experienced this.”
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy and is usually detected during a routine screening test. It’s estimated that between 2% and 10% of pregnant people develop gestational diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As with other forms of diabetes, gestational diabetes affects the way the body processes glucose (sugar) and can cause high levels of glucose in your blood. Blood sugar levels typically return to normal after pregnancy, but having gestational diabetes can put you at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes later on. The condition is linked to a larger birth weight for the baby (which can make certain labor and delivery complications more likely) as well as preterm birth and low blood sugar in the baby.
Some people are more likely to develop gestational diabetes than others, such as people who are older than 25, have a family history of type 2 diabetes, or who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the CDC says. Treatment for gestational diabetes usually consists of blood sugar monitoring, eating nutritious foods, and getting regular physical activity. For some people, medication may also be necessary.
Trainor previously told Today that she stopped eating certain foods after finding out her mother had gestational diabetes, which put Trainor at a higher risk for developing the condition herself. Now she’s working with a personal trainer and making some changes to her diet to help manage the condition, which has been especially challenging with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. But she’s still excited to have a baby on the way.
“I’ve learned so much this year, and it has been super scary and challenging,” she said. “It is tough going to all the doctor appointments alone, without my husband, but it’s also like the time I’ve been waiting for my whole life.”