Standards of Care in Diabetes - 2024
Standards of Care in Diabetes - 2024
Standards of Care in Diabetes - 2024
DIABETES IN PREGNANCY
The prevalence of diabetes in pregnancy has been increasing in the U.S. in parallel
with the worldwide epidemic of obesity. Not only is the prevalence of type 1 diabetes
and type 2 diabetes increasing in individuals of reproductive age, but there is also a
dramatic increase in the reported rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Diabe-
tes confers significantly greater maternal and fetal risk largely related to the degree of
hyperglycemia but also related to chronic complications and comorbidities of diabe-
tes. In general, specific risks of diabetes in pregnancy include spontaneous abortion,
fetal anomalies, preeclampsia, fetal demise, macrosomia, neonatal hypoglycemia, neo-
natal hyperbilirubinemia, and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, among others.
In addition, diabetes in pregnancy increases the risks of obesity, hypertension, and
type 2 diabetes in offspring later in life (1,2).
*A complete list of members of the American
Diabetes Association Professional Practice Committee
Preconception Counseling can be found at https://doi.org/10.2337/dc24-SINT.
Recommendations Duality of interest information for each author is
15.1 Starting at puberty and continuing in all people with diabetes and child- available at https://doi.org/10.2337/dc24-SDIS.
bearing potential, preconception counseling should be incorporated into rou- Suggested citation: American Diabetes Association
tine diabetes care. A Professional Practice Committee. 15. Manage-
ment of diabetes in pregnancy: Standards of Care in
15.2 Family planning should be discussed, and effective contraception (with con- Diabetes—2024. Diabetes Care 2024;47(Suppl. 1):
sideration of long-acting, reversible contraception) should be prescribed and used S282–S294
until an individual’s treatment plan and A1C are optimized for pregnancy. A
© 2023 by the American Diabetes Association.
15.3 Preconception counseling should address the importance of achieving Readers may use this article as long as the
glucose levels as close to normal as is safely possible, ideally A1C <6.5% work is properly cited, the use is educational
(<48 mmol/mol), to reduce the risk of congenital anomalies, preeclampsia, and not for profit, and the work is not altered.
macrosomia, preterm birth, and other complications. A More information is available at https://www
.diabetesjournals.org/journals/pages/license.
diabetesjournals.org/care Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy S283
All individuals with diabetes and childbear- and even with mild hyperglycemia and care units. Preconception counseling is
ing potential should be informed about 2) the use of effective contraception at also associated with reductions in perina-
the importance of achieving and maintain- all times when trying to prevent a preg- tal mortality and small-for-gestational-age
ing as near euglycemia as safely possible nancy. Preconception counseling using birth weight (18). A key point is the
prior to conception and throughout preg- developmentally appropriate educational need to incorporate a question about
nancy. Observational studies show an tools enables adolescent girls to make plans for pregnancy into the routine pri-
increased risk of diabetic embryopathy, well-informed decisions (9). Preconcep- mary and gynecologic care of people
especially anencephaly, microcephaly, tion counseling resources tailored for with diabetes. Preconception care for
congenital heart disease, renal anoma- adolescents are available at no cost people with diabetes should include the
lies, and caudal regression, directly pro- through the American Diabetes Associ- standard screening and care recom-
turnover, A1C is slightly lower during w Evaluation of diabetes and its comorbidities and complications, including DKA/severe
pregnancy in people with and with- hyperglycemia; severe hypoglycemia/hypoglycemia unawareness; barriers to care;
comorbidities such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, NAFLD, PCOS, and thyroid
out diabetes. Ideally, the A1C goal in dysfunction; complications such as macrovascular disease, nephropathy, neuropathy
pregnancy is <6% (<42 mmol/mol) (including autonomic bowel and bladder dysfunction), and retinopathy
if this can be achieved without signifi- w Evaluation of obstetric/gynecologic history, including a history of cesarean section,
cant hypoglycemia, but the goal may congenital malformations or fetal loss, current methods of contraception, hypertensive
disorders of pregnancy, postpartum hemorrhage, preterm delivery, previous
be relaxed to <7% (<53 mmol/mol) if macrosomia, Rh incompatibility, and thrombotic events (DVT/PE)
necessary to prevent hypoglycemia. B w Review of current medications and appropriateness during pregnancy
toring, continuous glucose monitoring comprehensive ophthalmologic exam; ECG in individuals starting at age 35 years who
(CGM) can help to achieve the A1C have cardiac signs/symptoms or risk factors and, if abnormal, further evaluation; lipid
panel; serum creatinine; TSH; and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio
goal in diabetes and pregnancy. B w Anemia
15.10 CGM is recommended in preg- w Genetic carrier status (based on history):
nancy as estimates of A1C. C implementation of monitoring, continuous glucose monitoring, and pump technology
w Contraceptive plan to prevent pregnancy until glycemic goals are achieved
15.13 Nutrition counseling should
w Management plan for general health, gynecologic concerns, comorbid conditions, or
endorse a balance of macronutrients complications, if present, including hypertension, nephropathy, retinopathy; Rh
including nutrient-dense fruits, vege- incompatibility; and thyroid dysfunction
tables, legumes, whole grains, and
Created using information from American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (10) and Ra-
healthy fats with n-3 fatty acids that mos (20). COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; DKA, diabetic ketoacidosis; DVT/PE, deep vein
include nuts and seeds and fish in thrombosis/pulmonary embolism; ECG, electrocardiogram; NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease;
the eating pattern. E PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome; TSH, thyroid-stimulating hormone.
diabetesjournals.org/care Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy S285
Pregnancy in people with normal glu- hypoglycemia (29). At around 16 weeks, pregnancy is as defined and treated in Rec-
cose metabolism is characterized by insulin resistance begins to increase, and ommendations 6.11–6.17 (see Section 6,
fasting levels of blood glucose that are total daily insulin doses increase linearly “Glycemic Goals and Hypoglycemia”). The
lower than in the nonpregnant state 5% per week through week 36. This most appropriate hypoglycemia threshold
due to insulin-independent glucose up- usually results in a doubling of daily insu- level in pregnancy has not been validated
take by the fetus and placenta and by lin dose compared with the prepregnancy but has ranged from <60 to <70 mg/dL
mild postprandial hyperglycemia and requirement. While there is an increase in (<3.3 to <3.9 mmol/L) in the past.
carbohydrate intolerance as a result of both basal and bolus insulin requirements, Current recommendations for hypogly-
diabetogenic placental factors. In peo- bolus insulin requirements take up a larger cemia thresholds include blood glucose
ple with preexisting diabetes, glycemic proportion of overall total daily insulin <70 mg/dL (<3.9 mmol/L) and sensor
preeclampsia (1,46). Taking all of this into individuals with type 2 diabetes or GDM cross the placenta to the fetus. A
account, a goal of <6% (<42 mmol/mol) should be individualized based on treat- Other oral and noninsulin injectable
is optimal during pregnancy if it can be ment regimen, circumstances, preferen- glucose-lowering medications lack long-
achieved without significant hypoglyce- ces, and needs. term safety data. E
mia. The A1C goal in a given individual The international consensus on TIR 15.16 Metformin, when used to treat
should be achieved without hypoglyce- (37) endorses pregnancy target ranges polycystic ovary syndrome and induce
mia, which, in addition to the usual ad- and goals for TIR for people with type 1 ovulation, should be discontinued by
verse sequelae, may increase the risk of diabetes using CGM as reported on the the end of the first trimester. A
low birth weight (47,48). Given the alter- ambulatory glucose profile; however, it 15.17 Telehealth visits used in combi-
ation in red blood cell kinetics during does not specify the type or accuracy of nation with in-person visits for preg-
Lifestyle and Behavioral Management people with diabetes, the amount and and systematic reviews, glyburide was
After diagnosis, treatment starts with type of carbohydrate will impact associated with a higher rate of neonatal
medical nutrition therapy, physical activ- glucose levels. Promoting higher-quality, hypoglycemia, macrosomia, and increased
ity, and weight management, depending nutrient-dense carbohydrates results in neonatal abdominal circumference than
on pregestational weight, as outlined in controlled fasting/postprandial glucose, insulin or metformin (78,79).
the section below on preexisting type 2 lower free fatty acids, improved insulin Glyburide failed to be found noninfe-
diabetes, as well as glucose monitoring action, and vascular benefits and may re- rior to insulin based on a composite
aiming for the goals recommended by the duce excess infant adiposity. Individuals outcome of neonatal hypoglycemia, mac-
Fifth International Workshop-Conference who substitute fat for carbohydrates may rosomia, and hyperbilirubinemia (80).
on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (63): unintentionally enhance lipolysis, promote Long-term safety data for offspring ex-
There are some people with GDM re- team members at different centers may people with diabetes and family mem-
quiring medical therapy who may not be still be beneficial. bers about the prevention, recognition,
able to use insulin safely or effectively None of the currently available human and treatment of hypoglycemia is impor-
during pregnancy due to cost, language insulin preparations have been demon- tant before, during, and after pregnancy
barriers, comprehension, or cultural in- strated to cross the placenta (93–98). to help prevent and manage hypoglyce-
fluences. Oral agents may be an alterna- Insulins studied in RCTs are preferred mia risk. Insulin resistance drops rapidly
tive for these individuals after discussing (97,99–103) over those studied in cohort with the delivery of the placenta.
the known risks and the need for more studies (104), which are preferred over Pregnancy is a ketogenic state, and
long-term safety data in offspring. How- those studied in case reports only. people with type 1 diabetes, and to a
ever, due to the potential for growth re- While many health care professionals lesser extent those with type 2 diabe-
neonates (112). As in type 1 diabetes, insu- Services Task Force (116). More studies as the threshold for initiation or titra-
lin requirements drop dramatically after are needed to assess the long-term ef- tion of medical therapy for chronic hy-
delivery. fects of prenatal aspirin exposure on off- pertension in pregnancy (124) rather
The risk for associated hypertension spring (121). than their previously recommended
and other comorbidities may be as high threshold of 160/110 mmHg (125).
or higher with type 2 diabetes com- PREGNANCY AND DRUG The CHAP study provides additional
pared with type 1 diabetes, even if dia- CONSIDERATIONS guidance for the management of hyper-
betes is better managed and of shorter tension in pregnancy. Data from the pre-
apparent duration, with pregnancy loss Recommendations viously published Control of Hypertension
appearing to be more prevalent in the 15.21 In pregnant individuals with dia- in Pregnancy Study (CHIPS) supports a
and insulin requirements need to be the preceding 3-month glucose profile. effective weight management after GDM
evaluated and adjusted as they are The OGTT is more sensitive at detecting (138). In addition, postdelivery lifestyle in-
often roughly half the prepregnancy glucose intolerance, including both predia- terventions are effective in reducing risk of
requirements for the initial few days betes and diabetes. In the absence of un- type 2 diabetes (139).
postpartum. C equivocal hyperglycemia, a positive screen Both metformin and intensive life-
15.24 A contraceptive plan should for diabetes requires two abnormal val- style intervention prevent or delay pro-
ues. If both the fasting plasma glucose gression to diabetes in individuals with
be discussed and implemented with
($126 mg/dL [$7.0 mmol/L]) and 2-h prediabetes and a history of GDM. Only
all people with diabetes of childbear-
plasma glucose ($200 mg/dL [$11.1 five to six individuals with prediabetes
ing potential. A
mmol/L]) are abnormal in a single screen- and a history of GDM need to be treated
15.25 Screen individuals with a recent
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