ABSTRACT
This chapter presents information on the relevant issues of diabetes and hyperglycemia before, during, and following pregnancy, with an emphasis and focuses on the special consideration in the developing world. The epidemic of diabetes has a profound and universal effect on pregnant women, both prior and during pregnancy—type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), respectively. The prevalence of GDM is linearly and positively correlated with that of T2DM, in any given population. Screening and diagnosis of diabetes in pregnancy appears to be more complex in low-resource countries, especially in rural areas. Several aspects need to be addressed in relation to the diagnosis of GDM and T2DM, which include financial, technical, and cultural barriers to appropriate diagnosis. Lifestyle changes such as adopting appropriate eating habits and engaging in regular physical exercise, which have already been proven to be cost effective in diabetes care, play an important role during and even before pregnancy.
