Experts warn mothers and babies are at growing risk without better care for type 2 diabetes

Researchers from across the UK and Ireland are calling for urgent action to improve care for women with early-onset type 2 diabetes before, during, and after pregnancy. The call follows a new consensus statement developed by an expert group of clinicians and researchers from the UK and Ireland. The statement sets out critical gaps in current knowledge and clear priorities for future research to better support women and their babies. It is published in Diabetic Medicine.

Clinical Senior Lecturer in Women’s Health and Diabetes at King’s College London, Dr. Sara White, explains, “Type 2 diabetes in women of reproductive age is rising, yet evidence to guide safe and effective care across pregnancy is limited. From the experience of clinicians and women living with diabetes, we know that being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes at a young age increases the risk of serious problems during pregnancy, as well as long-term health problems for both mothers and their babies.

“Even so, most research has focused on managing blood sugar during pregnancy. Much less attention has been given to helping women prepare before pregnancy, supporting them after birth, and understanding the wider social factors that affect health outcomes.”

The consensus statement brings together evidence from three large systematic reviews, alongside expert and audience discussion from the Diabetes UK Annual Professional Conference in 2025. It highlights an urgent need to rethink how care is designed and delivered for this group of women.

Professor of Chemical Pathology and Diabetes in Pregnancy at the University of Leicester, Claire Meek, said the lack of evidence leaves both women and clinicians navigating pregnancy with too little support.

She said, “Women with early-onset type 2 diabetes are often managing complex health needs at a young age, yet the systems around them are not designed with that reality in mind. We need coordinated, evidence-based care that starts before pregnancy, continues after birth, and recognizes the wider social and cultural barriers many women face.”

The group identifies several priority areas where research and service change could make an immediate difference. These include improving access to preconception care, supporting healthy weight before, during, and after pregnancy, and strengthening postnatal follow-up to reduce long-term risks such as cardiovascular disease.

The statement also stresses the importance of addressing inequalities linked to deprivation, ethnicity, language barriers, and access to health care.

Researchers emphasize that listening to women’s experiences must sit at the heart of future work. Many women report feeling judged or stigmatized, poorly informed about pregnancy risks, and unsupported once specialist maternity care ends.

Dr. Rita Forde, Senior Lecturer, the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork, added, “By setting out a shared research agenda we hope to accelerate studies co-developed with women and communities that will improve outcomes for these women and their future children.”

The consensus statement calls on funders, policymakers, and health care leaders to act now, warning that without targeted investment, preventable harms to women and babies will continue to rise alongside the growing prevalence of early-onset type 2 diabetes.