Gestational diabetes

Disease class: Pregnancy complications

Diabetes mellitus 

Diabetes occurring in pregnancy and resolving afterwards.

It is most common in the last three months of pregnancy. 
It affects 3–9% of pregnancies, depending on the population studied.

 

Complications

As with other forms of diabetes, hyperglycaemia and hypoglycaemia can threaten the lives of both the mother and the foetus.

Infants born to mothers with GDM are at risk of being either too large for gestational age (macrosomic) in unmanaged GDM, or too small for gestational age, with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). 

 

Management

• Dietary management
• Insulin injections
• Induction of labour

A repeat OGTT should be carried out 6 weeks after delivery, to confirm the diabetes has resolved. Regular screening for type 2 diabetes afterwards.