Rates of type 2 diabetes are rising twice as fast among younger women in the UK compared to their older counterparts, according to new data from Diabetes UK. The charity highlights that inadequate postnatal follow-up care for women who had gestational diabetes during pregnancy is a key driver of this trend.
Alarming Increase in Younger Women
Diabetes UK reports that the incidence of type 2 diabetes is increasing at double the rate in women under 40 compared to older women. This disparity is particularly concerning given that gestational diabetes, which affects 10 to 20 per cent of pregnant women, significantly elevates the long-term risk of developing type 2 diabetes, even though the condition typically resolves after childbirth.
Postnatal Care Gaps
An audit by NHS England found that only 57 per cent of women who experienced gestational diabetes received the recommended annual HbA1c test to monitor blood sugar levels. Within a decade, 15 per cent of these women go on to develop type 2 diabetes. Diabetes UK has called on Women's Health Minister Baroness Merron to implement urgent measures to improve postnatal support for affected women.
The charity emphasizes that better follow-up care, including regular blood sugar testing and lifestyle advice, could help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Without such interventions, the health burden on younger women and the NHS is set to grow.
