Gestational diabetes overview: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
|||
Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
[[Category:Obstetrics]] | [[Category:Obstetrics]] | ||
[[Category:Endocrinology]] | [[Category:Endocrinology]] | ||
[[Category:Mature chapter]] | |||
[[Category:Diabetes]] | |||
[[Category:Aging-associated diseases]] | |||
[[Category:Medical conditions related to obesity]] | |||
[[Category:Emergency medicine]] | [[Category:Emergency medicine]] | ||
[[Category:Primary care]] | [[Category:Primary care]] | ||
[[Category:Intensive care medicine]] |
Revision as of 16:47, 21 February 2013
Gestational diabetes Microchapters |
Complications |
Diagnosis |
Treatment |
Case Studies |
Gestational diabetes overview On the Web |
American Roentgen Ray Society Images of Gestational diabetes overview |
Risk calculators and risk factors for Gestational diabetes overview |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a form of diabetes which affects pregnant women who have never had diabetes before. There is no known specific cause, but it's believed that the hormones produced during pregnancy reduce a woman's receptivity to insulin resulting in high blood sugar.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) resembles type 2 diabetes in several respects, involving a combination of relatively inadequate insulin secretion and responsiveness. It occurs in about 2%–5% of all pregnancies and may improve or disappear after delivery. Gestational diabetes is fully treatable but requires careful medical supervision throughout the pregnancy. About 20%–50% of affected women develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
Even though it may be transient, untreated gestational diabetes can damage the health of the fetus or mother. Risks to the baby include macrosomia (high birth weight), congenital cardiac and central nervous system anomalies, and skeletal muscle malformations. Increased fetal insulin may inhibit fetal surfactant production and cause respiratory distress syndrome. Hyperbilirubinemia may result from red blood cell destruction. In severe cases, perinatal death may occur, most commonly as a result of poor placental profusion due to vascular impairment. Induction may be indicated with decreased placental function. A cesarean section may be performed if there is marked fetal distress or an increased risk of injury associated with macrosomia, such as shoulder dystocia.