ABSTRACT
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is chronic hyperglycemia during gestation in women without previously diagnosed diabetes. This hyperglycemia is caused by impaired glucose tolerance due to pancreatic ß-cell dysfunction in the setting of chronic insulin resistance. GDM has been found to affect approximately 4-16.5% of pregnant women worldwide. The large range of prevalence is associated with different approaches to the diagnosis of gestational diabetes, which are addressed in recent organizational documents but have not yet been introduced into wide clinical practice, and therefore prevalence figures vary between countries, as well as between regions of one country. Studies have shown that overweight and obese patients or people with a family history of any form of diabetes are more likely to have GDM and the incidence of GDM increases with the age of the pregnant woman. It has been proven that half of the cases of GDM occur as a relapse in a subsequent pregnancy. Consequences of GDM include an increased risk of maternal cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as macrosomia and birth complications in the infant. There is also a long-term risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in the child. Despite the fact that management strategies, insulin therapy, and behavioral therapy have been discussed for a long time, the effectiveness of these methods is insufficient. This review discusses what is currently known about the epidemiology, pathophysiology of GDM, and maternal and child outcomes.
