Question
At 25 weeks pregnant, a woman had normal pregnancy test results, but recent checks have shown elevated blood sugar levels, possibly indicating gestational diabetes. If blood sugar levels are above normal, is treatment necessary?
Answer
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a specific type of diabetes characterized by reduced glucose tolerance or obvious diabetic symptoms discovered after confirming pregnancy. Whether treatment involves insulin use, dietary control alone, or whether symptoms persist after delivery, all can be considered gestational diabetes. The incidence of gestational diabetes is approximately 1% to 6.6‰, with an incidence rate of about 40% domestically. Since the introduction of insulin and the development of perinatal medicine, the perinatal mortality rate has significantly decreased.