The Association between Vitamin D Deficiency and Gestational Diabetes

Abstract

estational diabetes mellitus (GDM), defined as carbohydrate intolerance causing hyperglycaemia with first onset in pregnancy after 20 weeks gestation, is increasing in incidence in many populations worldwide as obesity becomes more prevalent. The epidemic of diabetes poses an enormous public health challenge globally. Given the adverse impacts of GDM on pregnancy outcomes, perinatal morbidity, and development of chronic diseases including T2DM later in life, increasing attention has been drawn to the increasing prevalence of this common pregnancy complication. Screening and diagnosis of GDM and treating it effectively not only prevent adverse maternal and perinatal outcome but also future diabetes in both mother and child. Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin that has been produced on this earth for more than 500 million years. During exposure to sunlight 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin absorbs UV B radiation and is converted to previtamin D3 which in turn isomerizes into vitamin D3.