Diagnosis, prevention and management of gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy that is not clearly type 1 or 2 diabetes. Approximately 84% of hyperglycemia cases during pregnancy are due to GDM, while the remaining 26% are due to preexisting type 1 or 2 diabetes, which is defined as diabetes in pregnancy (DIP). The International Diabetes Federation indicates that 1 in 6 infants are born to mothers with some form of hyperglycemia during pregnancy. Accumulated evidence has shown that hyperglycemia during pregnancy not only increases perinatal morbidity and mortality in mothers and children but also increases the manifestation of disease later in life. For example, women with GDM have a higher incidence of preeclampsia (PE), cesarean deliveries, and birth trauma. Their offspring are more likely to be large for gestational age and premature, and to have neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and congenital malformation. Moreover, both the mother and the offspring are