The need for precision medicine in gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the type of diabetes diagnosed in the second or third trimester of pregnancy that was not overt diabetes before gestation [1]. Insulin resistance develops due to the effects of placental hormones. Consequently, GDM presents in women whose pancreatic βcells cannot increase the insulin production to the degree that would compensate the increased demands. GDM carries important short-term risks for both the neonate and the mother. The Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study included more than 25,000 pregnant women of various ethni cities and indicated a strong linear association of maternal glucose concentrations with fetal hyperinsulinaemia, birth weight, as well as incidence of pre-eclampsia, caesarean delivery, shoulder dystocia and neonatal hypoglycaemia [2].

Source: Maturitas - July 23, 2018 Category: Primary Care Authors: Stavroula A. Paschou, Panagiotis Anagnostis, Bruce H.R. Wolffenbuttel, Dimitrios G. Goulis Source Type: research