Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Pregnancy induces progressive changes in maternal carbohydrate metabolism. As pregnancy advances insulin resistance and diabetogenic stress due to placental hormones necessitate compensatory increase in insulin secretion. When this compensation is inadequate gestational diabetes develops. Pregnancy that occurs in a woman who already has diabetes is termed ‘Pre-Gestational Diabetes Mellitus’. Both these situations are associated with increased maternal and fetal morbidity and rarely mortality. The magnitude of these complications is lesser in woman with GDM than in pre-GDM. Universal screening for GDM is strongly recommended for the population ethnically prone to high prevalence of Type 2 DM. The screening around 24 to 28th week is usually done, but it is ideal to test fo