Many of you know her as Lieutenant Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU. Some of you may even know her as Justice from Taylor Swift's Bad Blood video (side note: T. Swift is a huge Olivia Benson fan). But what you might not know is that at one time, Mariska was checking her blood sugars often. Daily. Mariska had gestational diabetes.

Mariska Hargitay & Gestational Diabetes

At 42, Mariska was pregnant and thriving. But 15-hour work days and added job stress eventually caught up with her. During her third trimester, Hargitay learned she had gestational diabetes. The culprit? Too much comfort food, as a means to dealing with stress. Mariska told People post-pregnancy:

"I was overwhelmed by my lack of energy. All I could do to survive was to eat... I did get into eating too much. This pregnancy was really hard for me at the end. I wasn’t mobile.”

That dangerous duo of stress and comfort food eventually caused a 54-pound weight gain, insulin resistance, and gestational diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes: Tell Me More

This is a form of diabetes that, as its name implies, can appear during pregnancy (gestation being the carrying of an embryo or fetus). According to the CDC, roughly 2-10% of pregnancies in the US are affected by gestational diabetes each year. So what exactly is it? All pregnant women experience some sort of insulin resistance during pregnancy (we're lookin' at you, hormones ;) ). In the case of gestational diabetes, there is so much insulin resistance (for any number of reasons) that blood glucose levels can rise to unhealthy levels, dangerous to both mother and child. It's this kind of insulin resistance that can result in gestational diabetes.

Don't Leave Me Hanging!

I would never! :) If you keep up with all things Mariska, then you know she is back in action — and has been! The only hiccup in the story? Her planned natural delivery turned into a last-minute C-section. But mother and child got through the pregnancy just fine, and both are healthy and happy to this day, no complications in sight! Through healthy eating and exercising, Mariska shed her pregnancy pounds and rid herself of gestational diabetes. While roughly 50% of women with gestational diabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes can be just a blip on the screen. As long as moms-to-be watch blood glucose levels, both during and after pregnancy, and make it a point to eat healthier and exercise routinely, all gestational diabetes-related issues can be resolved.✨ If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and want more info, reach out to us! We are always here, and happy to help. 💗