This Friday, for World Diabetes Day, the UN emphasizes the disease’s impact on pregnancy, aligning with this year’s global theme of managing diabetes “across the lifespan.”
The organization introduced its inaugural global guidelines for managing diabetes before, during, and after pregnancy.
“These guidelines address women’s real-life health needs and offer clear, evidence-based strategies for delivering high-quality care to all women worldwide,” stated Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization (WHO).
The guide aims to aid the 21 million pregnancies affected by diabetes each year by offering recommendations that acknowledge the evolving risks of diabetes throughout life.
Why it matters
Diabetes affects over 800 million people globally, with around half undiagnosed, according to a new WHO report.
It’s a leading cause of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and amputations. Its impact is intensifying rapidly in low- and middle-income countries, where access to essential care and medicines is often restricted.
This year’s World Diabetes Day message underlines the importance of improving diabetes care throughout life, starting before pregnancy and continuing through early childhood and adulthood.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes arises when the body fails to adequately regulate blood sugar levels.
- Type 2 diabetes constitutes 95 percent of cases and is linked to being overweight, insufficient physical activity, and genetics, according to the WHO.
- The causes of type 1 diabetes remain unknown, and those affected require lifelong insulin treatment.
- The prevalence of diabetes has been rising globally for decades, placing increasing pressure on health systems.
Pregnancy: a critical window
Diabetes in pregnancy may be pre-existing or first detected during pregnancy.
Women who develop diabetes during pregnancy have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes post-delivery.
This condition raises the risk of life-threatening complications, such as pre-eclampsia and other hypertensive disorders.
Babies face higher risks of stillbirth, seizures, and birth defects. Children born following a diabetes-complicated pregnancy are more likely to develop obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes later in life.
What the WHO recommends
The WHO Global Compact on Diabetes provides tools to enhance prevention and care globally.
The newly launched pregnancy guidelines include 27 recommendations, such as:
- Adopting a diet low in added sugars, with carbohydrates from whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes.
- At least 150 minutes of physical activity per week, including resistance training.
- Regular blood sugar monitoring
- Routine ultrasounds before and after 24 weeks
- Appropriate medical treatment
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