Fetal and Maternal Medicine Review

Research Article

GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS

RINAT GABBAY BEN-ZIVa1 and MOSHE HODa1 c1

a1 Perinatal Division, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Centre, Beilinson Campus, Petah-Tiqva, Israel.

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is defined as “carbohydrate intolerance of variable severity with onset or first recognition during pregnancy.” The definition is applicable regardless of whether insulin is used for treatment or the condition persists after pregnancy. It does not exclude the possibility that unrecognized glucose intolerance may have antedated the pregnancy”. GDM complicates 3–15% of all pregnancies and is a major cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality, as well as maternal long term morbidity. Of all types of diabetes, gestational diabetes (GDM) accounts for approximately 90–95% of all cases of diabetes in pregnancy.

Correspondence:

c1 Professor Moshe Hod, Director, Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Centre, Sackler Faculty of Medicicne, Tel-Aviv University, Petah-Tiqva, 49100, Israel.

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