Gestational diabetes mellitus: Berlin and beyond

The Berlin Declaration is a landmark call to action, which encourages policy makers to take early action to halt the type 2 diabetes epidemic. It emphasizes the need for prevention, early detection, early control, and early access to the right interventions. We believe these four pillars of early action in type 2 diabetes are as relevant to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and action in the latter will impact on the former. Therefore this statement, authored by 21 experts from 14 countries calls for early action in GDM. We highlight the relative invisibility of GDM, and underscore the significance of GDM prevention and management in the fight against diabetes. We also provide evidence for the feasibility in applying each Berlin Declaration pillar to GDM, and highlight the trans generational benefits this will have in containing the diabetes epidemic.