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Overview
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects ~14% of pregnancies and represents a critical window where metabolic, microbial, and metal factors converge. This signature is preliminary, built from 6 sources emphasizing fungal dysbiosis and microbiome-derived metabolite pathways.
Metallomic Signature
Confidence: preliminary
Iron elevation and zinc/selenium depletion patterns are inferred from overlap with type 2 diabetes signature and limited GDM-specific metal data. Direct metallomic studies in GDM pregnancy cohorts are needed.
Taxonomic Analysis
Confidence: preliminary
Enrichment of bacteroides and depletion of faecalibacterium prausnitzii observed across multiple studies (wei 2022 16s rrna gut microbiota gestational diabetes, vavreckova 2022 gut bacterial fungal microbiota pregnancy gdm). Fungal dysbiosis — particularly shifts in Candida and Saccharomyces — is a distinctive feature (wang 2026 intestinal fungal dysbiosis gdm adverse pregnancy outcomes).
Associated Conditions
GDM shares overlapping signatures with:
- type 2 diabetes — shared iron/zinc patterns, Bacteroides enrichment (overlap 0.45)
- pcos — shared iron patterns, insulin resistance mechanisms (overlap 0.30)
- obesity — shared iron/zinc patterns (overlap 0.35)
Open Questions
- What is the complete metallomic signature specific to GDM (vs. inherited from T2D)?
- How does fungal-bacterial cross-kingdom interaction drive GDM pathophysiology?
- Can preconception microbiome interventions prevent GDM in high-risk women?