Article Published on June 21, 2023 for Remedy Health. Understanding the long-term risks for mothers and children can help optimize intervention strategies.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), a common pregnancy complication characterized by hyperglycemia first recognized during pregnancy, affects approximately 8% of pregnancies in the United States.1 It is caused by a combination of hormonal and metabolic changes that occur during pregnancy, resulting in hyperglycemia. Pregnant people who develop GDM are at an increased risk of developing several metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes (T2D)2 and cardiovascular disease.3
What is often overlooked is that GDM can have long-term consequences for not just the mother, but also the baby. Babies born to mothers with GDM have increased rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other metabolic disorders later in life.4 It is important to recognize this intergenerational risk that GDM poses and engage at-risk populations with diet and lifestyle measures before pregnancy, to reduce the risk of GDM in the mother and subsequent negative health outcomes for the baby.5 In addition, it is worthwhile to implement effective strategies during pregnancy to reduce the risk that GDM will develop into T2D after pregnancy.
Continue reading the entire article on: https://pro.endocrineweb.com/conditions/gestational-diabetes/type-2-diabetes
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