COVID-19 and Gestational Diabetes: A Systematic Review

Abstract

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a pandemic state in response to the number of infected and killed by COVID-19. Gestational diabetes (GD) is characterized by physiological changes making pregnant women even more vulnerable to viral respiratory infections, such as SARS-CoV-2. For these reasons and due to the restriction of data related to DMG and the involvement by COVID-19, the importance of raising information about these two conditions is evident. Therefore, this study aimed to perform a literature review about the complications of COVID-19 in patients with GD. MEDLINE-PubMed, EMBASE, and Scielo databases were searched and followed the PRISMA guidelines. Only four studies were included in the systematic review. The complications and mortality are more significant in pregnant women with diabetes since hyperglycemia promotes immune changes in the inflammatory state and worsens insulin resistance. The imbalance in the immune response favors the development of infections, the most likely being viral respiratory infections. On the other hand, other studies show insufficient recent evidence to indicate that pregnant women are more susceptible to infection with severe acute coronavirus respiratory syndrome. There are divergences between studies concerning complications related to COVID-19 in patients with GD. In view of this scenario and from the information obtained, it is noted that the literature is scarce regarding the worsening of COVID-19 in patients with GD. Therefore, it is necessary to continue research on these mechanisms that may justify their correlation.