NHS rolls out new ‘artificial pancreas’ for pregnant diabetic women

Mums-to be in England with type 1 diabetes will receive a pregnancy-specific ‘artificial pancreas’ from the NHS so they can effectively manage their blood glucose levels.

Around 2,000 women with type 1 diabetes become pregnant each year in England – according to NHS data – and pregnancy hormones make it harder for them to regulate blood glucose levels, potentially leading to stillbirth, miscarriage, birth injuries and an increased need for neonatal care.

Health chiefs have provided £3.7m to local healthcare systems this year, to support rollout of a pregnancy-specific hybrid closed loop system – or artificial pancreas – as part of a wider £60m fund to make the technology available to other patient groups with type 1 diabetes.

Kate Brintworth, chief midwifery officer for England, said: “This life-changing technology is great news for women with type 1 diabetes because their chronic condition can make it difficult for them to effectively regulate their blood glucose levels to have a safe pregnancy. 

“Effective management of blood glucose levels before and during pregnancy for women living with type 1 diabetes has been shown to reduce the risk of poor maternity outcomes, such as miscarriage, stillbirth and birth injuries, and minimise risk to a baby’s development.”

More than 600 pregnant women with type 1 diabetes have been given the technology by NHS diabetes specialist midwives and diabetologists, under the initiative’s first phase.

The technology consists of an insulin pump, a glucose sensor, and an algorithm that runs on a smartphone app, which calculates and delivers the precise insulin dosages a woman requires before and during pregnancy.

Partha Kar, type 1 diabetes technology lead at NHS England, said: “This ingenious – yet simple -technology is helping pregnant woman living with type 1 diabetes – and those planning a pregnancy – live better lives, improving maternal outcomes for them, reducing serious health complications, and making care simpler.”

The technology eliminates the need to regularly take finger prick tests and insulin injections, and enables diabetes teams to monitor users’ glucose levels remotely reducing the need for frequent hospital appointments. 

Amina Hatia, midwifery manager for Tommy’s, the pregnancy and baby charity, said: “The introduction of artificial pancreas technology for those who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy is a welcome step towards more personalised, compassionate care that empowers women and birthing people to make informed choices about their health.”

Difficulties in controlling blood sugar levels can cause pregnant women with type 1 diabetes to have larger babies, which can be predisposed to developing obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in later life.

Anthony Walker, senior policy officer at Diabetes UK, said: “Offering the hybrid closed loop systems that are proven to be most effective during pregnancy – and the additional devices like mobile phones needed to use them – is essential in ensuring that everyone has access to the right technology for them.”

Gillian Merron, health minister, added: “This is a good example of fulfilling promises in our 10 year health plan both to deliver more urgent care in the community right in people’s home and to shift the emphasis from sickness to prevention.”