Gestational diabetes which mainly occurs in pregnant woman still remained a medical mystery as to understand the causes and factors contributing to it. Though for years medical practitioners, experts and researchers are pointing towards numerous factors ranging from genetic factors to hormonal changes and others, the clinical reasons largely remained unknown. A new breakthrough research for diabetes in pregnant woman conducted at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine can really provide significant insights in this regard. Until now as per the available medical procedures it is not possible to determine the chances of developing gestational diabetes before a woman becomes pregnant, but the outcome of this new research raises hope that it would be possible in the near future. The research can really have grave implication in elevating health standard as better precautionary measures can be arranged for the offspring in cases where the pregnant mother has developed gestational diabetes. Some of the critical risk factors associated with gestational diabetes would make us understand the promising aspects of this research breakthrough for diabetes in pregnant woman.
Gestational diabetes and risk factors on moms and offspring
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that normally happens in some women during pregnancy due to higher level of glucose in the blood. Though the contributing factors and causes for development of this diabetes are still remained unknown, it is assumed that the diabetes is caused by hormonal changes in the birth giving process. Gestational diabetes is more akin to Type 2 diabetes in character as the diabetic condition proliferates mainly due to strong insulin resistance in the body. Following the birth of the baby the women has a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. As it is now a well known fact that diabetes transmits genetically into the offspring, even the offspring of the victim of gestational diabetes run a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in their life. The new research breakthrough for diabetes in pregnant women is important also for preventing the hereditary transmission of the genetic factors relating to the disease as well.
What researchers say?
According to the researchers at Northwestern University School of Medicine it is possible to assess the risk and vulnerability of women in developing diabetes long before they are pregnant. In declaring this researchers say that genetic profiling of different women of ethnicity and physiological characteristic is the key to this research finding which can really begin a new era in medical measures taken for offspring born in diabetic mother's womb. Researchers in their revolutionary study found two genes, respectively as HKDC1and BACE2 are responsible for the balancing of blood glucose and insulin in pregnant woman. It is also found that these two genes are particularly operation for these glucose and insulin balancing act in pregnant woman only and are only instrumental in finding medical answers to gestational diabetes. While the first gene is crucial for glucose metabolism the second one is important for insulin secretion in pregnant woman. Identification of these two genes can further help to do extensive genetic profiling of women so that risk factors in vulnerable moms and their future offspring can be reduced. In any case this new research breakthrough for diabetes in pregnant woman is sure to commence a new era of gestational diabetes management and treatment.
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