AUTHOR=Wadivkar Pradnyashree , Hawkins Meredith 

TITLE=Is gestational diabetes mellitus in lean women a distinct entity warranting a modified management approach?

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Clinical Diabetes and Healthcare

VOLUME=Volume 5 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/clinical-diabetes-and-healthcare/articles/10.3389/fcdhc.2024.1338597

DOI=10.3389/fcdhc.2024.1338597

ISSN=2673-6616

ABSTRACT=During pregnancy, insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion may lead to the development of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM). Although a higher Body Mass Index (BMI) is often cited as a risk factor for the development of GDM, lean pregnant women are also at risk of developing GDM based on evidence from several studies. It is proposed that insulin deficiency (more than insulin resistance) leads to the development of GDM in women with low BMI (BMI <18.5 kg/m2). Neonates of these women are more at risk of preterm birth and small-for-gestational-age. Given this unique pathophysiology and phenotype, this entity needs a modified management approach. This article aims to raise awareness of GDM in lean women to encourage more research on this topic and create a modified management approach.