Low concentration of vitamin D is associated with the development of Gestational diabetes
Aug 13, 2019
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition in which a pregnant woman loses the ability to tolerate glucose due to progressive changes in maternal carbohydrate metabolism, and consequently, the glucose level gets elevated and the symptoms of diabetes become visible.
The worldwide prevalence of GDM is increasing rapidly ranged between 15% and 20%
GDM is mostly diagnosed during the second or third trimester of pregnancy, and women diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) during her first trimester are classified as pre‑existing type 1 or type 2 diabetic patients rather than GDM. However, soon after delivery normal glucose metabolism restores.
Women diagnosed with GDM and their children have substantial risk (35%–60%) of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic syndrome, and obesity in future.
Vitamin D has a significant role in cancer, hypertension, T2DM, and pregnancy due to the presence of vitamin D receptors (VDRs) in most of the tissues.
In physiologic condition, the active form of vitamin D (1,25 dihydroxy vitamin D) exerts its direct effects via binding to VDRs or indirectly by calcemic hormones and inflammation and involves in several mechanisms in addition to bone metabolism and glucose metabolism.
Sufficient amount of vitamin D is required for the normal production and secretion of insulin
Vitamin D deficiency may affect the risk of developing GDM and postpartum T2DM.
Supplementation of vitamin D in GDM women have positive effects on fasting blood glucose and insulin level.
Citation: Tripathi P, Rao YK, Pandey K, Gautam KA. Significance of vitamin D on the susceptibility of gestational diabetes mellitus – A meta-analysis. Indian J Endocr Metab 2019;23:514-24.
Get yourself tested at Modern Wellness for accurate testing of Vitamin D in your blood and also detect GESTATIONAL DIABETES early to ensure that you and your baby are safe and healthy