Gestational Diabetes Mellitus—A Brief Overview and Current Situation in Romania

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents a pregnancy-specific associated pathology that bears a heavy burden on patients and also on the healthcare system. GDM displays an increasing incidence and short- and long-term materno-fetal consequences. Its prevention strategies include lifestyle interventions, diet changes, gestational weight gain control, moderate-intensity exercise, and smoking cessation. GDM screening is performed in the second half of pregnancy between 24 and 28 gestational weeks. Treatment options include medical nutrition therapy and pharmacologic therapy. In most cases, optimum glycemic control is obtained by medical nutrition therapy alone. Although there are screening and treatment options, the medical system in Romania lacks homogeneity in the diagnosis and further management of pregnancies complicated with GDM. There is an urgent need to improve the healthcare system and the basic medical knowledge of the population and to find efficient strategies, which include a national diabetes in pregnancy guideline to ensure pregnancy monitoring, GDM screening, and the diagnosis and personalized management of cases in order to promote good pregnancy outcomes and minimize adverse pregnancy events.