<![CDATA[Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic disorder during pregnancy and is associated with adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Dietary modification, particularly reducing the intake of added sugars, is an important component of glycemic management. This study aimed to examine the effect of replacing conventional sugar with Stevia rebaudiana liquid sweetener on fasting blood glucose among pregnant women with GDM. A quasi-experimental pre–posttest control group design was conducted among 120 pregnant women with GDM at Pilolodaa Community Health Center, Gorontalo, Indonesia. Participants were allocated to an intervention group receiving 25 drops of liquid Stevia rebaudiana daily (n = 60) or a control group receiving 25 g of conventional sugar daily (n = 60) for 30 days. The assigned sweetener was used as a replacement for the sweetening component of the participants’ usual diet. Fasting blood glucose was measured in the morning after an overnight fast of at least 8 hours using a calibrated glucometer before and after the intervention. Baseline characteristics were assessed to evaluate comparability between groups. The intervention group showed a reduction in mean fasting blood glucose from 163.5 ± 19.8 mg/dL to 128.7 ± 15.6 mg/dL, whereas the control group decreased from 161.8 ± 20.1 mg/dL to 156.9 ± 18.7 mg/dL. The mean reductions were 34.8 and 4.9 mg/dL, respectively, resulting in a between-group mean difference of 29.9 mg/dL (p < 0.001). Overall, 90.0% of participants in the Stevia rebaudiana group experienced a reduction in fasting blood glucose. These findings indicate that replacing conventional sugar with liquid Stevia rebaudiana was associated with a greater reduction in fasting blood glucose over 30 days among pregnant women with GDM. However, given the quasi-experimental design and the possibility of uncontrolled confounding factors, the observed reduction should not be interpreted as definitive evidence of a specific effect of Stevia rebaudiana. Further studies with randomized designs and longer follow-up are needed to confirm these findings.]]>
