Pregnant women should be tested for diabetes much earlier than the current standard practice of between 24 and 28 weeks, according to new research that has significant global implications.
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Gestational diabetes, a condition that emerges exclusively during pregnancy, affects 1 in 7 pregnancies worldwide. Without timely intervention, gestational diabetes can cause complications for the mother and the baby.
In many countries, women are typically screened for gestational diabetes between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. However, a collective of 28 academics from 13 countries is advocating for earlier testing and treatment, before 14 weeks of pregnancy, to prevent complications during and after pregnancy on a global scale.
In a series of three papers published in The Lancet, the researchers reported that their literature review uncovered a significant proportion of women who had high blood glucose levels within the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. These women experienced worse pregnancy outcomes compared to those whose diabetes developed later in the pregnancy. The findings highlighted that earlier detection and treatment significantly reduced these risks.
Professor David Simmons of Western Sydney University, the lead author of the series, stressed the “urgent need for a major shift” in how gestational diabetes is diagnosed and managed—not only during pregnancy but throughout the lifetime of mothers and their children. He called for systematic approaches to prevention, earlier treatment, and further research to understand the long-term effects of gestational diabetes more comprehensively.
Advocacy Action: Engage with policymakers in your respective countries to advocate for policy changes that enable earlier testing and treatment of gestational diabetes. By pushing for these changes, we can help ensure that pregnant women around the world receive the care they need to reduce the risks associated with gestational diabetes, ultimately improving outcomes for both mothers and their babies.