ABSTRACT
Hyperglycemia (high blood glucose level) that is first detected during pregnancy is classified as either gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or hyperglycemia in pregnancy (HIP). The overall prevalence of GDM ranges from 5% to 16% of pregnancies. However, the incidence markedly increases in obese and overweight women or among those aged more than 40 years, where the risk of GDM rises up to 74%. Considering that obesity and overweight is an escalating problem among women of reproductive age in the United States and Europe with more than 1 in 10 pregnant women being obese, and 1 in 4 being overweight, the issue of predisposition to GDM is a major concern. Furthermore, given the interaction between HIP and poor pregnancy outcomes, a global focus on preventing, testing, diagnosing, and managing HIP should be implemented. In addition, the role of in utero imprinting, in increasing the risk of diabetes and cardio-metabolic disorders in offspring of mothers with HIP, as well as increasing maternal vulnerability to future diabetes and cardiovascular disorders should be considered. Recent evidence shows that lifestyle interventions, including diet, physical activity, and lifestyle changes, either pre-pregnancy or during pregnancy, may reduce the incidence of GDM. Early prediction of women at high risk of GDM would allow for timely intervention that could limit gestational weight gain and obesity, possibly preventing the onset of GDM.
