Sands is launching a new project inviting healthcare professionals and bereaved parents to help shape better care for pregnancies affected by diabetes, as cases continue to rise across England, with particular concern for health inequalities and outcomes.
A new Sands initiative is inviting midwives, other health professionals and bereaved parents to help shape better care for pregnancies affected by diabetes, as concern grows about how often the condition complicates pregnancy and the harm it can cause when not managed well.
Dr Julia Clark, a registered midwife and qualitative researcher at Sands, said the charity is bringing together frontline staff and families to examine what good care looks like, where it falls short and what could help prevent avoidable pregnancy losses and baby deaths. The project, funded by Teddy’s Wish, is being run alongside an MBRRACE-UK perinatal confidential enquiry due in summer 2027, which will review medical records from cases in which a baby died after a pregnancy affected by diabetes.
The move comes as evidence points to a rising burden. A University of Edinburgh-led study involving King’s College London researchers found that one in eight mothers in England is now diagnosed with gestational diabetes, with diagnoses rising by 60% in five years. The sharpest increases were seen among some ethnic minority groups and women living in deprived areas, underlining long-standing inequalities in maternity care and outcomes.
The NHS says gestational diabetes, which is usually diagnosed in the second or third trimester, can cause problems for both mother and baby, but that early detection and careful management can reduce risk. Diabetes UK says women with diabetes face higher chances of preterm birth, Caesarean delivery and having a baby weighing more than 4kg, and has called for stronger pre-conception, antenatal and postnatal support, including practical resources for clinicians and women planning pregnancy.
Sands says it wants input from healthcare professionals working across the full pathway of diabetes care, including pre-conception, antenatal and postnatal services, and is especially keen to hear from student midwives. The charity says people do not need to be diabetes specialists to contribute, as the aim is to build a fuller picture of what is working in practice, what is not, and where change could make the biggest difference.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
