WHO unveils first-ever global standard for diabetes care during pregnancy

By Chioma Obinna

On this year’s World Diabetes Day, the World Health Organisation, WHO, introduced its first global guidelines dedicated solely to managing diabetes during pregnancy, marking an important moment for maternal and child health. The condition affects about one in six pregnancies worldwide, placing roughly 21 million women at risk each year.

For decades, WHO has provided separate guidance on diabetes and on pregnancy, but the lack of an integrated approach left a major gap in care.

Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the significance of this development, noting that the new recommendations reflect the real needs of women and offer a unified standard for managing diabetes during pregnancy.

Diabetes during pregnancy, when not properly managed, can lead to serious outcomes including pre-eclampsia, stillbirth, and birth injuries. The risks extend far beyond childbirth, increasing the long-term chances of type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases for both mother and child. The burden is greatest in low- and middle-income countries, where access to specialized care is often limited.

The new guidelines outline 27 recommendations on how health systems and providers can improve detection, monitoring, and treatment. They call for individualized care plans, consistent monitoring of blood sugar levels both at home and during clinic visits, and tailored use of medication for women with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes. They also highlight the importance of multidisciplinary support, particularly for women who enter pregnancy with pre-existing diabetes.

A central focus of the guidelines is the need to integrate diabetes management into routine antenatal services and to ensure that women everywhere have access to essential technologies and medicines.

This year’s World Diabetes Day theme, “Diabetes across life stages,” reinforces the idea that diabetes requires sustained, coordinated care throughout a person’s life. Children, adolescents, adults, and older adults all face unique challenges, and supportive environments and health policies are essential to help people manage their condition with dignity.

Diabetes remains one of the fastest-growing health threats globally, affecting more than 800 million people. It is a leading cause of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and limb amputation. The rise has been most rapid in lower-income countries, where access to care and life-saving medicines is often limited.

This year’s campaign urged action to expand access to prevention, care, and support, ensuring that no one is left behind.

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