World Diabetes Day 2025: Affecting one in six pregnancies or 21 million women annually, diabetes in pregnancy can pose serious short-term risks for both mother and baby as well as long-term health issues like a higher lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases.
The World Health Organization (WHO), on the occasion of World Diabetes Day 2025, released its first global guidelines on diabetes management during pregnancy. The new recommendations aim at suggesting ways to tackle this health challenge and prevent serious complications for expecting mothers and their children.
Managing diabetes during pregnancy could save the expecting mother from elevated risk of life-threatening conditions such as pre-eclampsia, stillbirth, and birth injuries. Well-managed chronic disease could also eliminate the lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases for both mother and child.
“WHO has long had guidance on diabetes and guidance on pregnancy, but this is the first time we have issued a specific standard of care for managing diabetes during pregnancy,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “These guidelines are grounded in the realities of women’s lives and health needs, and provide clear, evidence-based strategies to deliver high-quality care for every woman, everywhere.”
Staying active, eating balanced meals and monitoring blood sugar are of utmost importance for well-balanced blood sugar levels.
The guidelines emphasize exactly on that. By focussing on proper diet, physical activity and blood sugar targets and optimal monitoring for all women with diabetes apart from personalised treatment with specific medication regimens for type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes, the disease can be tackled well.
How to eat and exercise during pregnancy: What the WHO guidelines suggest:
In the document under the specific dietary and physical activity advice for pregnant women, it is recommended that the general adult population in the age group of 29-32 focusses on a healthy diet of carbohydrates from whole grains, vegetables, fruits and pulses, with at least 400 grams of vegetables and 25 grams of natural fibre daily. Total fat intake should be limited to 30% of daily energy, prioritising unsaturated fats, while saturated fats should stay below 10%, trans fats under 1%, and free sugars below 5–10% of total intake.
As far the physical activity is concerned, WHO’s recommendations for the general pregnant population includes regular physical activity throughout pregnancy, 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, incorporating resistance (muscle strengthening) exercise and stretching, and continuation of pre-pregnancy physical activity habits for women who, before pregnancy, were habitually engaged in vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or who were physically active.
“Weight management is defined as achieving appropriate gestational weight gain in relation to the mother’s pre-pregnancy weight,” said the guidelines.
Disclaimer: The article is for informational purpose. Always consult a doctor before starting any diet or fitness routine. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.