
World Diabetes Day - Research uncovering link between gut health and pregnancy outcomes
As part of World Diabetes Day, an Australian Diabetes Society’s (ADS) research grant recipient discusses her work in diabetes and pregnancy and shares tips for women and healthcare professionals on optimising wellness for mums and babies.
World Diabetes Day, November 14, 2017, aims to raise awareness of the right of all women with diabetes to a healthy future.
In Australia there are currently:
600,000 women with diabetes. There are 57,000 women and girls living with type 1 diabetes and 502,000 women and girls living with type 2 diabetes
185 women newly diagnosed with diabetes each day
10,000 women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM)
More than 100 pregnant women developing gestational diabetes every day
38,000 women diagnosed with gestational diabetes in the past 12 months
One third of women with gestational diabetes needing insulin therapy during pregnancy to manage their diabetes
More than 36,000 women of child bearing age with “existing type 1 diabetes (16,000) or type 2 diabetes (20,000)” and with special needs during pregnancy.
Dr Helen Barrett is a member of the ADS and is a practising Obstetric Physician and Endocrinologist. She is currently the Director of Endocrinology at Mater Hospital Brisbane and a Senior Research Fellow at Mater Research .
“My passion is to improve the outcomes for women and their babies during complex pregnancies and my research interests are strongly tied to my clinical work,” she said.
“Many women with diabetes and their babies do well in pregnancy with the right planning and management from their multidisciplinary healthcare
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