Diabetes in pregnancy: A comparison of guidelines

Introduction: Diabetes in pregnancy is becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide and managing such patients remains challenging. The aim of this comparison is to help reach a consensus regarding the most reasonable approach to care for such patients and modify our institute’s guidelines where necessary. Methods: This is a review article comparing the most recent guidelines available concerning the diagnosis and management of diabetes in pregnancy, which includes both pre-gestational and gestational. The following guidelines will be compared; the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), World Health Organization (WHO), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American Diabetes Association (ADA), the Society of Obstetricians And Gynecologists Of Canada (SOGC), Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA), and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO). These recommendations will also be compared to the current guidelines set in our institute, King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Results: The similarities and differences between the guidelines will be highlighted in the form of tables and a brief discussion. The tables will emphasize the differences in screening, diagnosing, and managing diabetes in pregnancy. Conclusion: Updating our guidelines to remain consistent with international guidelines can help unify our institute’s approach to managing such patients thus ensuring the provision of the highest quality of care.