23/04/2020

Women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes prior to pregnancy presents poorer pregnancy outcomes than women not presenting this condition. The available evidence suggests that preconception care for women with pregestational diabetes reduces the risk of congenital anomalies and perinatal mortality in women with diabetes. Thus, diabetes care includes glycaemic control, management of diabetes complications, cessation of potentially harmful drugs and administration of folic acid.

Gestational diabetes occurs in about 4% of all pregnancies. This condition is usually diagnosed in the later stages of pregnancy, and is frequent in women with no prior history of diabetes.

Obesity in women of reproductive age is increasing in the world, which has associated a negative impact on various pregnancy outcomes, such as the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes means a major issue on health services. Optimal management of gestational diabetes mellitus, obesity and pregestational diabetes lessen the level o metabolic disease.

5 key areas to address in the following years:

- Improvement of pregnancy outcomes for women with pregestational diabetes 1 or 2

- Influence on pregnancy outcomes of obesity and gestacional diabetes

- Evaluation of determinants of fetal growth and development

- Health services issues – transgenerational consequences

- Develop the value of genomics for an accurate diagnosis and new presicion therapies.

Scientific endeavour regarding these crucial aspects will lead to better outcomes for women with gestational diabetes, which requires programmes and application of research technologies and clinical trials as well as the translation of all the results into best practice.

Autor: Ana Martín