Curbing Diabetes in Pregnant Women

Diabetes is a life-long condition that affects people of every age, race, and nationality. It is the leading cause of kidney failure, blindness in adults, and amputations not related to injury. Moreover, it is estimated that diabetes accounts for more than $132 billion of our nation’s annual health care costs and one out of every three Medicare dollars.

These statistics are truly overwhelming. But what is important to remember is that there is a human face and family behind each of these numbers. These millions of Americans and their families whose lives have been forever changed by diabetes are what inspire me to pursue federal funding for research to produce better treatments.

As the founder and co-chair of the Senate Diabetes Caucus, I have learned a great deal about this costly and devastating disease. Nearly 21 million Americans have diabetes, and one in three American children born today will develop the disease.

I recently joined Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) in reintroducing our legislation to combat the growing rates of diabetes striking pregnant women in our country. We are pleased to be joined by Reps. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) who have introduced the companion bill in the House. The Gestational Diabetes (GEDI) Act is aimed at lowering the incidence of gestational diabetes, which puts women at increased risk for complications during childbirth and puts their children at increased risk for developing debilitating Type 2 diabetes as adolescents or adults.

Gestational diabetes is a disorder that affects between four to eight percent of pregnant women in the United States and the numbers are growing. More women than ever are entering pregnancy overweight, which can trigger gestational diabetes and threaten the health of both the mother and child. Genetics, ethnicity, and maternal age are other risk factors for the disease.

New therapies and interventions to detect, treat, and slow the incidence of this disorder need to be identified. The GEDI Act will support increased understanding of the factors that contribute to this condition and help mothers who develop gestational diabetes reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The GEDI Act will create a Research Advisory Committee headed by the CDC to monitor gestational diabetes and obesity during pregnancy to develop methods to prevent onset of Type 2 diabetes. Also, the Act will allocate funding through demonstration grants for projects to assist health care providers and communities in finding ways to reach out to women so they better understand how their health during pregnancy will impact their own as well as their child’s health. The bill will also expand on current research by the NIH and the CDC to help lower the incidences of gestational diabetes.

The GEDI Act is supported by the following organizations: American Diabetes Association, National Research Center for Women & Families, Society for Women’s Health Research, International Community Health Services, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Association of Diabetes Educators, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations.

While we have making progress in the fight against diabetes, this is no time to take our foot off the accelerator. We must step up our commitment to finding better treatments, a means of prevention, and ultimately a cure.