The International Diabetes Federation 2019 Congress has selected Mater’s Professor David McIntyre to provide the prestigious ‘Stream Award Lecture’ for Women’s Health and Diabetes at this year’s meeting.
Professor McIntyre has been working in the field of endocrinology for more than 30 years. Since joining Mater in August 1993, he has established a new sub-speciality service dealing with diabetes and endocrinology within Mater Hospital Brisbane and Mater Mothers’ Hospitals.
Professor McIntyre said his lecture will focus on Hyperglycaemia (elevated blood sugar levels) in Pregnancy and Women's Health in the 21st Century.
“Hyperglycaemia in pregnancy, known as gestational diabetes, is the commonest medical complication of pregnancy and affects around 10 to 15 per cent of all pregnancies,” Professor McIntyre said.
“The prevalence of hyperglycaemia is increasing globally, with the two most obvious factors being increasing obesity and later child bearing. The challenge is truly global, affecting over 20 million pregnancies each year, with 90 per cent of these mothers and babies being in low and middle income countries with very limited resources.”
“Hyperglycaemia has significant impacts in pregnancy with effects on both mother and baby. Mothers with hyperglycaemia are at increased risk of hypertension and caesarean section and babies are at risk of excess growth and increased risk of premature delivery and birth trauma.
“Also of great importance are the often neglected long term risks for the mother after giving birth including developing Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. For the baby there are risks of obesity and impaired glucose metabolism which can lead to diabetes,” Professor McIntyre said.
“There is no one clear solution that fits this global problem, so the solutions need to be local and tailored to resources, local health care systems and the family setting.”
Professor McIntyre has been involved in the promotion of this area of healthcare nationally and internationally through basic and clinical research as well as the development of guidelines for optimal care.
“I plan to use this award lecture to highlight both the health risks of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy and the great potential for health gains for both mother and child through effective treatment and follow up,” Professor McIntyre said.
Professor McIntyre will present his lecture at the International Diabetes Federation, from 2 to 6 December 2019 in Busan, Korea.
Professor McIntyre has also had a paper accepted for publication on the same topic in the May 2019 edition of Inspire magazine.
The paper will focus on the challenges of applying WHO criteria for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus to a population regardless of ethnicity or nationality. Professor McIntyre will argue that specific criteria should be developed for each population to best identify those women who are labelled as GDM and have a high risk of pregnancy complications and separate out those women with lower risks of adverse outcomes who may not need additional dietary, lifestyle and medical care.