Gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes (or gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM) is a condition in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy (especially during third trimester). There is some question whether the condition is natural during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is caused when the body of a pregnant woman does not secrete enough insulin required during pregnancy, leading to increased blood sugar le... More

Gestational diabetes (or gestational diabetes mellitus, GDM) is a condition in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy (especially during third trimester). There is some question whether the condition is natural during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes is caused when the body of a pregnant woman does not secrete enough insulin required during pregnancy, leading to increased blood sugar levels. Gestational diabetes generally has few symptoms and it is most commonly diagnosed by screening during pregnancy. Diagnostic tests detect inappropriately high levels of glucose in blood samples. Gestational diabetes affects 3-10% of pregnancies, depending on the population studied, so may be a natural phenomenon. As with diabetes mellitus in pregnancy in general, babies born to mothers with gestational diabetes are typically at increased risk of problems such as being large for gestational age (which may lead to delivery complications),...

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