Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) refers to the onset of diabetes occurring after the conclusion of the first trimester of pregnancy. GDM is currently one of the most common pregnancy-related medical complications and a cause of diabetes in young women. Maternal overweight and obesity, older age at birth, a history of GDM, a family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and ethnicity are important risk factors for GDM development during pregnancy. GDM increases the risk of long-term complications in both the mother and infant, including obesity, impaired glucose metabolism, and cardiovascular disease. It is also associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes such as macrosomia, shoulder dystocia or other birth injuries (also called birth trauma), hypertension, and preeclampsia, perinatal depression, preterm birth, and stillbirth. Managing the mother and infant optimally during long-term follow-up remains challenging. Dietary modification and increased physical activity are the primary treatments for GDM and can alleviate GDM-related complications. However, hypoglycemic agents, traditionally insulin, are used when normoglycemia is not achieved. This review focuses on the current knowledge of GDM and briefly discusses its updates.