What is gestational diabetes?

• Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy and usually disappears after giving birth.
• It can occur at any stage of pregnancy, but is more common in the second half.
• It occurs if the mother’s body cannot produce enough insulin – a hormone that helps control blood sugar levels – to meet the extra needs in pregnancy.
• Gestational diabetes can cause problems for the mother and the baby during and after birth. But the risk of these problems happening can be reduced if it’s detected and well managed.

How can gestational diabetes affect pregnancy?

• Baby growing larger than usual – this may lead to difficulties during the delivery and increases the likelihood of needing induced labour or caesarean section.
• Premature birth – giving birth before the 37th week of pregnancy.
• The baby developing low blood sugar or yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) after he or she is born, which may require treatment in hospital
• Still born babies.

Steps taken by the government

• The Ministry of Health has developed national guidelines for testing, diagnosis and management of hyperglycaemia (condition in which an excessive amount of glucose circulates in the blood) in pregnancy, and they recommend early testing during the first trimester.

Why in the news? 

• National Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) Day was observed on March 10.

Reference:

1. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1703822