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Multicenter Study
. 2021 Aug;38(8):e14588.
doi: 10.1111/dme.14588. Epub 2021 May 6.

The top 10 research priorities in diabetes and pregnancy according to women, support networks and healthcare professionals

Göher Ayman  1 , James A Strachan  2 , Niamh McLennan  3 , Reem Malouf  1 , Jack Lowe-Zinola  4 , Fida Magdi  4 , Nia Roberts  5 , Fiona Alderdice  1   6 , Iuliana Berneantu  1 , Niki Breslin  1 , Caroline Byrne  7 , Sonya Carnell  1 , David Churchill  4   8 , Jeannie Grisoni  7 , Jane E Hirst  9   10 , Anna Morris  11 , Helen R Murphy  7   12   13   14 , Jane O'Brien  15 , Caroline Schmutz  16 , Kamini Shah  11 , Ankita S Singal  1 , Mark W J Strachan  17 , Katherine Cowan  18 , Marian Knight  1
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

The top 10 research priorities in diabetes and pregnancy according to women, support networks and healthcare professionals

Göher Ayman et al. Diabet Med. 2021 Aug.

Abstract

Aims: To undertake a Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) to establish priorities for future research in diabetes and pregnancy, according to women with experience of pregnancy, and planning pregnancy, with any type of diabetes, their support networks and healthcare professionals.

Methods: The PSP used established James Lind Alliance (JLA) methodology working with women and their support networks and healthcare professionals UK-wide. Unanswered questions about the time before, during or after pregnancy with any type of diabetes were identified using an online survey and broad-level literature search. A second survey identified a shortlist of questions for final prioritisation at an online consensus development workshop.

Results: There were 466 responses (32% healthcare professionals) to the initial survey, with 1161 questions, which were aggregated into 60 unanswered questions. There were 614 responses (20% healthcare professionals) to the second survey and 18 questions shortlisted for ranking at the workshop. The top 10 questions were: diabetes technology, the best test for diabetes during pregnancy, diet and lifestyle interventions for diabetes management during pregnancy, emotional and well-being needs of women with diabetes pre- to post-pregnancy, safe full-term birth, post-natal care and support needs of women, diagnosis and management late in pregnancy, prevention of other types of diabetes in women with gestational diabetes, women's labour and birth experiences and choices and improving planning pregnancy.

Conclusions: These research priorities provide guidance for research funders and researchers to target research in diabetes and pregnancy that will achieve greatest value and impact.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus; health priorities; perinatal care; post-natal care; pregnancy; prenatal care; research.

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Conflict of interest statement

GA, FA, IB, NB, CB, SC, DC, KC, JG, MK, JLZ, FM, RM, NM, AM, JO, NR, CS, KS, AS and JAS none declared. JEH is a member of the NICE Diabetes Committee and holds a UKRI Future Leaders fellowship. HRM sits on a scientific advisory board for Medtronic (insulin pump and CGM manufacturer) and has received research support from Medtronic, Dexcom and Abbott Diabetes Care Inc. (CGM devices). MWJS has received honoraria from Astellas, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly, Merck, Sanofi, Eisai and Bristol Myers Squibb, and has contributed to advisory boards for Novo Nordisk, Eisai and Servier.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Summary of the James Lind Alliance prioritisation process showing how the top 10 questions in diabetes and pregnancy were identified. ^Ongoing studies were not included as evidence as it would not be possible to know if they answer the question
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Interim survey question ranking comparisons between respondent groups. (a) Main groups: Indicative questions are ordered by rank position for women and support networks (60th to 1st place; left to right). (b) Diabetes type: Indicative questions are ordered by rank position for the group that indicated interest/experience in gestational diabetes (60th to 1st place; left to right). ‘Other’ types were grouped with type 2 diabetes due to low number and greatest similarity in rankings. T1D – Type 1 diabetes; T2D – Type 2 diabetes; GDM – Gestational diabetes mellitus
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Survey submissions by main group. The initial and interim survey submissions for women and support networks, and healthcare professionals proportioned by phase of pregnancy
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References

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