WHO Unveils Global Diabetes in Pregnancy Guidelines on World Diabetes Day
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released groundbreaking global guidelines for managing diabetes during pregnancy, a condition affecting approximately one in six pregnancies, or 21 million women annually. These new recommendations serve as a critical roadmap to address this growing health challenge and prevent severe complications for both mothers and their children.
If left unmanaged, diabetes in pregnancy significantly increases the risk of life-threatening conditions such as pre-eclampsia, stillbirth, and birth injuries. It also has long-term consequences, elevating the lifetime risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases for both the mother and child. The burden is most severe in low- and middle-income countries, where access to specialized care and resources may be limited, yet the need is most urgent.
"WHO has long provided guidance on diabetes and pregnancy, but these guidelines mark the first specific standard of care for managing diabetes during pregnancy," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "These guidelines are grounded in the realities of women's lives and health needs, offering clear, evidence-based strategies to deliver high-quality care for every woman, everywhere."
The guidelines, encompassing 27 key recommendations, emphasize:
- Individualized care: Tailored advice on diet, physical activity, and blood sugar targets.
- Optimal monitoring: Regular blood glucose checks for all women with diabetes, both during clinic visits and at home.
- Personalized treatment: Specific medication regimens for Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes when pharmacotherapy is necessary.
- Specialized support: Multidisciplinary care for women with pre-existing diabetes.
The release of these guidelines marks a pivotal step in strengthening maternal health and combating noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). They underscore the importance of integrating diabetes care into routine antenatal services and ensuring equitable access to essential medicines and technologies.
The guidelines are launched on World Diabetes Day 2025, aligning with the theme, "Diabetes across life stages." This theme recognizes that every person living with diabetes should have access to integrated care, supportive environments, and policies that promote health, dignity, and self-management.
Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing health challenges of our time, affecting over 800 million people globally. It is a leading cause of heart disease, kidney failure, blindness, and lower limb amputation, with its impact stretching across generations and health systems. Over the last decades, the prevalence has been rising most sharply in low- and middle-income countries, where access to care and essential medicines remains limited.
By focusing on diabetes across life stages, this year's campaign calls for urgent action to ensure that no one is left behind – from children and adolescents to older adults – and emphasizes the importance of a lifecourse approach to diabetes prevention, management, and overall well-being.
