Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Facts

-Gestational diabetes mellitus develops during pregnancy in women whose pancreatic function is insufficient to overcome the insulin resistance associated with the pregnant state.

-Identifying pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus followed by appropriate therapy can decrease fetal and maternal morbidity, particularly macrosomia, shoulder dystocia, and preeclampsia.

Two-step screening test: Screen everyone at 24 to 28 weeks; The first step is a 50-gram one-hour glucose challenge test (GCT). Positive patients go on to the second step, a 100-gram, three-hour oral glucose tolerance test (GTT), which is the diagnostic test for gestational diabetes mellitus.

-Adverse outcomes associated with gestational diabetes: Preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, hydramnios, macrosomia, maternal and infant birth trauma, operative delivery (cesarean, instrumental), perinatal mortality, Fetal/neonatal hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, neonatal respiratory problems and metabolic complications (hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, hypocalcemia, polycythemia)

Long-term, women with gestational diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as well as type 1 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

-A diagnosis of overt diabetes is made when A1C is ≥6.5 percent.

Treatment:

-Nutritional therapy, Glucose monitoring, target fasting blood glucose <95 mg/dl; insulin, selected oral antihyperglycemic agents (metformin, glyburide)

A single third trimester ultrasound to screen for macrosomia.

Scheduled cesarean delivery to avoid birth trauma is typically offered to women with GDM and estimated fetal weight ≥4500 grams.

-All women with GDM should have a two-hour, 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test between 6 and 12 weeks postpartum

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