New analysis reveals that rates of type 2 diabetes are increasing at twice the speed in younger women compared to their older counterparts. Diabetes UK attributes this alarming trend to a significant gap in follow-up care for women who develop gestational diabetes (GD) during pregnancy.
Gestational diabetes occurs when pregnant women do not produce enough insulin, resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. Although the condition typically resolves after childbirth, it significantly raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Data from Diabetes UK highlights a 47% rise in type 2 diabetes diagnoses among women under 40 from 2017/18 to 2023/24, nearly double the 22% increase observed in women aged 40 to 79. The charity warns that inadequate postnatal monitoring is fueling this surge, as GD affects 10% to 20% of pregnancies.
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Current guidelines recommend that women diagnosed with GD undergo an HbA1c blood test—an indicator of average blood sugar levels—between six and 13 weeks postpartum, followed by annual testing. However, the first annual gestational diabetes audit by NHS England revealed that just 57% of these women receive the recommended yearly HbA1c test.
The audit also found that 11% of women with GD developed prediabetes within a year, and 15% progressed to type 2 diabetes within a decade. Colette Marshall, Chief Executive of Diabetes UK, called the findings a “wake-up call,” emphasizing the missed opportunities for prevention.
“Type 2 diabetes is escalating twice as quickly in younger women, and pregnancy should not become a gateway to chronic ill health,” said Marshall. “Yet, despite their increased risk, many women with gestational diabetes receive little or no ongoing care after giving birth.”
One such woman is Meg, a 33-year-old teacher from Somerset, who was diagnosed with GD in 2020 during her pregnancy. Six years on, she has yet to receive any postnatal diabetes follow-up. “I had gestational diabetes only in the last two weeks before my son was born prematurely at 29 weeks,” Meg shared. “I was never informed about my increased risk for type 2 diabetes or how to prevent it.”
After childbirth, Meg’s GP made no mention of her GD diagnosis, and she was not offered any HbA1c testing despite her high-risk status, also influenced by polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome and family history. “Clear, accessible information about managing gestational diabetes during and after pregnancy would have made a huge difference to my physical and mental wellbeing,” she added.
In response, Diabetes UK has appealed to Women’s Health Minister Baroness Merron, urging immediate action to enhance postnatal support for women with GD. Marshall stressed, “As the Government implements its health strategies, it’s crucial that women who have experienced gestational diabetes receive the care they need.”
Currently, approximately 4.7 million people in the UK live with a diabetes diagnosis, with an estimated 1.3 million cases of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, highlighting the urgency to address preventable risks starting from pregnancy.