Diabetic Women Should Be Asked About Desire For Kids At Every Doctor's Visit, Guidelines Say

Follow Drugslib on

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com

via HealthDay

FRIDAY, July 18, 2025 — Doctors should ask diabetic women at every visit about their intention to have a child, to make sure they get the appropriate care prior to conception, new guidelines say.

This will help avoid miscarriages and birth defects among women who have diabetes before pregnancy, the authors write in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

“We developed these guidelines as diabetes rates are rising among women of reproductive age and very few women with diabetes receive proper preconception care,” lead author Dr. Jennifer Wyckoff, an endocrinologist at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, said in a news release.

“In addition to preconception planning, the guideline discusses advances in diabetes technology, delivery timing, medications and diet,” she said.

The joint guideline was issued by the Endocrine Society and the European Society of Endocrinology, and published this week. Its suggestions include:

  • Asking all diabetic women of childbearing age about their intent to conceive — and posing the question at every doctor’s visit, be it related to their reproductive, diabetic or normal care.
  • Timing delivery prior to 39 weeks for pregnant women with diabetes, as the risks associated with continued pregnancy might outweigh those of early delivery.
  • Discontinuing use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs prior to pregnancy.
  • Avoiding the use of metformin in pregnant women who are already on insulin.
  • Using hybrid closed-loop insulin pumps with continuous glucose monitoring for pregnant women with type 1 diabetes.
  • Engaging in family planning and using contraception until a woman with diabetes is ready to become pregnant.

    • The team crafted these recommendations based on evidence from randomized controlled trials, researcher Dr. Annunziata Lapolla, a diabetes specialist at the University of Padova in Italy, said in background notes.

    “Given the increase in type 2 diabetes associated with obesity worldwide and women with this pathology who become pregnant, these recommendations have also addressed the issues related to correct nutrition and therapeutic approach in such women,” Lapolla added.

    Other groups signing on to the guidelines include the American Diabetes Association, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, The International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, and the American Pharmacists Association.

    Sources

  • Endocrine Society, news release, July 10, 2025

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2025-07-19 00:00

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords