Final answer:
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus is specific to pregnancy and causes hyperglycemia due to increased insulin resistance. It normally resolves postpartum but requires management to avoid complications, and those affected have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later.
Step-by-step explanation:
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) specifically refers to impaired glucose tolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. Unlike other forms of diabetes, GDM normally resolves after the pregnancy but requires careful management to ensure health of both mother and baby.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus is a unique form of diabetes that occurs exclusively in pregnant women. It is typically diagnosed through a glucose tolerance test or other lab tests indicating elevated blood glucose levels, known as hyperglycemia. GDM arises because hormonal changes during pregnancy can lead to insulin resistance, increasing the mother's need for insulin. If the pancreas cannot produce sufficient insulin to overcome this resistance, blood sugar levels rise, resulting in GDM.
Management of GDM is crucial as it can lead to complications for both the mother and the developing baby, including the risk of high birth weight and potential birth complications. Treatment focuses on lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise, but medication including insulin may be required in some cases. Postpartum, GDM usually resolves; however, women with history of GDM have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Therefore, they should continue with regular glucose monitoring even after giving birth. Unlike type 1 or type 2 diabetes, which are chronic conditions typically managed on a long-term basis, GDM is a temporary condition associated directly with pregnancy.