New Guidelines Improve Diabetes Care in Pregnancy
Endocrinologists urge better preconception care and modern diabetes tech for women with diabetes to ensure healthier pregnancies.
A new set of clinical guidelines, jointly released by the Endocrine Society and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE), is calling for improved care for women with diabetes before, during, and after pregnancy. The guidelines, announced at ENDO 2025 in San Francisco, aim to reduce complications by emphasizing early planning and modern technology.
According to experts, many women with diabetes still don’t receive proper preconception counseling. Poor blood sugar control and high BMI are major risk factors for miscarriages and birth defects — risks that can be managed with better care and screening.
Dr. Jennifer Wyckoff, lead author from the University of Michigan, stressed the need to ask all women of reproductive age with diabetes about their pregnancy plans during routine healthcare visits. “Diabetes rates are rising, and planning is essential,” she said.
Key recommendations from the guideline include:
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Asking women with diabetes about intent to conceive at every visit.
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Avoiding the use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs during pregnancy.
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Using hybrid closed-loop insulin systems in pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes.
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Recommending early delivery before 39 weeks if health risks are present.
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Advising contraception until the woman is ready to conceive.
The guideline also calls for more research into pregnancy nutrition, obesity, and new technology use during pregnancy. With better tools and timely care, the guideline hopes to lower the risks women face and improve pregnancy outcomes.
Dr. Annunziata Lapolla, co-chair from Italy, emphasized that the guideline also considers the growing number of women with Type 2 diabetes caused by obesity. “We’ve included strong recommendations for nutrition and therapeutic strategies,” she added.
Backed by global health bodies, including the American Diabetes Association and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, these recommendations aim to make pregnancies safer and healthier for women living with diabetes worldwide.
