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The World Diabetes Day is today on 14^th November. Reports have indicated that gestational diabetes can be a risk during pregnancy and might lead to serious complications. In order to prevent serious health complications in pregnant women, they should get themselves checked for GDM (gestational diabetes mellitus). GDM has been considered a major reason of high blood sugar and it is one of the most common medical conditions linked with pregnancy. The commonness of diabetes among women is about 18.6%, and it has been considered a bit higher than men. The major concern is regarding pregnant women having GDM when they are still young or during their reproducing age. The Malaysian Endocrine and Metabolic Society secretary and endocrinologist consultant at Putrajaya Hospital, Dr. Noreen Muhammad Noor said that most women aren’t aware about it or they don’t know whether they are at a risk or not.

The New Straits Times recently conducted a media dialogue on “Women and Diabetes” and Dr. Noreen was one of the panelists. This media dialogue was held in unification with “World Diabetes Day”. The dialogue also attended by the consultant in public health medicine at the Ministry of Health Dr. Feisul Mustapha, the corporate vice president Shabnam Avsar Tuna, the Business Area Oceania South East Asia, Novo Nordisk and the consultant dietitian as the moderator of the session, Indra Balaratnam. Dr. Noreen said that women with GDM are at a high risk of complications during delivery or having abnormalities in born babies or genetic defects. Studies have indicated that at least 50% of women with GDM go on to develop type 2 diabetes within 5-years of pregnancy. The children born to women with GDM are up to 8-times more likely to be fleshy and easily develop type 2 diabetes in their teenage or their early adulthood.