INTRODUCTION :

Diabetes mellitus commonly known as diabetes, is a group of metabolic

disorders characterized by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged
period .Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased
thirst, and increased hunger. If left untreated, diabetes can cause many
complications. Acute complications can include diabetic
ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, or death. Serious long-
term complications include cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney
disease, foot ulcers, and damage to the eyes.
Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin, or the
cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced. There are
three main types of diabetes mellitus:

 Type 1 diabetes results from the pancreas's failure to produce enough

insulin due to loss of beta cells. This form was previously referred to as
"insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (IDDM) or "juvenile diabetes" The
loss of beta cells is caused by an autoimmune response. The cause of
this autoimmune response is unknown.
 Type 2 diabetes begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which
cells fail to respond to insulin properly. As the disease progresses, a
lack of insulin may also develop. This form was previously referred to as
"non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus" (NIDDM) or "adult-onset
diabetes".The most common cause is a combination of excessive body
weight and insufficient exercise.
 Gestational diabetes is the third main form, and occurs when pregnant
women without a previous history of diabetes develop high blood sugar
levels.

COMMON BIRTH DEFECT:

Women diagnosed with diabetes before their pregnancy have a
higher risk of giving birth to a baby with a birth defect or multiple
defects than a woman who does not have diabetes before giving
birth.

"For single [birth] defects, the risk is three to four times greater,
and about eightfold for multiple defects".

Women with pregnancy-induced diabetes, called gestational

diabetes, were also more likely to have a child with a birth defect,
but generally only if their weight before getting pregnant was in
the overweight or obese range, with a body mass index (BMI) of 25
or higher.

While the diabetes-birth defects link has been long known,

this new research breaks new ground, says Correa.
 CAUSES OF THESE DISEASES:
Monogenic diabetes is caused by mutations, or changes, in a single gene.
These changes are usually passed through families, but sometimes the gene
mutation happens on its own. Most of these gene mutations cause diabetes
by making the pancreas less able to make insulin. The most common types
of monogenic diabetes are neonatal diabetes and maturity-onset diabetes of
the young (MODY). Neonatal diabetes occurs in the first 6 months of life.
Doctors usually diagnose MODY during adolescence or early adulthood, but
sometimes the disease is not diagnosed until later in life.

* Cushing’s syndrome occurs when the body produces too much cortisol—
often called the “stress hormone.”

* Hyperthyroidism occurs when the thyroid gland produces too much

thyroid hormone.

*Pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and trauma can all harm the beta cells or
make them less able to produce insulin, resulting in diabetes. If the
damaged pancreas is removed, diabetes will occur due to the loss of the
beta cells.