GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS - LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a clinical pathology characterized by reduced glucose tolerance, resulting from an error in insulin secretion or action. It affects pregnant patients who have had symptoms of the disease early or during the gestational period and usually disappears after delivery. During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes several changes, including several hormonal variations such as decreased sensitivity to insulin. Although common, management in prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment is still somewhat neglected, especially with regard to tracking risk factors and early diagnosis. This research is a narrative review of the literature, as the object of study were used academic articles, scientific journals, and references from the databases Scielo, Medline and Google Scholar. Scientific articles in English, Spanish and Portuguese were established as inclusion criteria, for the convenience of the authors and because they represent the vast majority of publications in this area; the coverage period comprised between 2011 and 2021. The objective of this work is to demonstrate the maternal and fetal correlations and the importance of early identification and monitoring of GDM. The high rates of this disease are a worrying factor, mainly because it makes the carriers more susceptible to the emergence of other diseases such as obesity, hypertension, kidney, eye and neurological damage. Pregnancies in diabetic women have a higher frequency of maternal clinical complications when compared to normal pregnancies. There are several unfavorable intrauterine and postpartum neonatal outcomes such as congenital malformations, macrosomia, fetal distress, metabolic disorders, risk of premature birth, polycythemia, hyperbilirubinemia and other complications. Thus, the early diagnosis of GDM, an appropriate follow-up as well as the use of adequate pharmacotherapy can positively influence the quality of life of the pregnant woman and, in the future, of the mother and baby.