Hyperglycemia in Pregnancy and Women's Health in the 21st Century

Hyperglycemia is the commonest medical condition affecting pregnancy and its incidence is increasing globally in parallel with the twin epidemics of diabetes and obesity. Both pre-pregnancy diabetes and gestational diabetes are associated with short term pregnancy complications, with the risk of immediate complications generally broadly rising with more severe hyperglycemia. In this article we firstly consider these risks and their optimal management during pregnancy and then broaden our scope to consider the long-term implications of hyperglycemia in pregnancy as it relates to overall maternal and offspring health in a life course perspective.

Automated summary

Hyperglycemia, resulting from diabetes and obesity, is the most common medical condition during pregnancy. It is associated with short term complications, which increase with the severity of hyperglycemia. This article explores the management of these risks during pregnancy and the long-term implications of hyperglycemia on maternal and offspring health.