Prevalence It is estimated by IDF that 20.9 million or 16.2% of live births to women in 2015 had some form of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy. An estimated 85.1% of those cases were due to gestational diabetes, 7.4% due to other types of diabetes first detected in pregnancy and 7.5% due to diabetes detected prior to pregnancy. There are some regional differences in the prevalence of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy, with the South-East Asia Region having the highest prevalence at 24.2% compared to 10.5% in the Africa Region. The vast majority (87.6%) of cases of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy were in lowand middle-income countries, where access to maternal care is often limited.
Table 3.7 Global estimates of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy, 2015 Total live births to women aged 20-49 years
129.4 million
Hyperglycaemia in pregnancy Global prevalence Number of live births affected
16.2% of live births 20.9 million
Proportion of cases due to gestational diabetes
85.1%
Proportion of cases due to other types of diabetes first detected in pregnancy
7.4%
Proportion of cases due to diabetes detected prior to pregnancy
7.5%
The prevalence of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy, as a proportion of all pregnancies, increases rapidly with age and is highest in women over the age of 45 (45.9%), although there are fewer pregnancies in that age group. Due to higher fertility rates in younger women, half of all cases of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (10.4 million) occurred in women under the age of 30.
Diabetes in children Type 1 diabetes is one of the most common endocrine and metabolic conditions in childhood. The number of children developing this form of diabetes is increasing every year. The challenges Insulin treatment is life-saving and lifelong. A person with type 1 diabetes needs to follow a structured self-management plan that includes insulin use, blood glucose monitoring, physical activity and a healthy diet. In many countries, access is limited to these medicines, supplies and self-management education. This can lead to severe health complications and early death in children with diabetes. Many children and adolescents may find it difficult to cope emotionally with their disease. Diabetes can result in discrimination and may limit social relationships. It may also have an impact on a child’s academic performance. The costs of treatment and monitoring equipment, combined with the daily needs of a child with diabetes, may place a significant financial and emotional burden on the whole family.
Table 3.8 Hyperglycaemia in pregnancy in women aged 20-49 years by IDF region, 2015 IDF region
Raw Prevalence
Age-adjusted prevalence
Number of live births affected
Africa
10.5%
9.5%
3.3 million
Europe
15.8%
13.7%
1.7 million
Middle East and North Africa
21.8%
17.7%
3.7 million
North America and Caribbean
14.9%
11.9%
1.0 million
South and Central America
13.2%
11.5%
0.9 million
South-East Asia
24.2%
26.3%
6.7 million
Western Pacific
12.4%
12.1%
3.7 million
Chapter 3 – The global picture
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