The 2nd Annual Conference on “Diabetes in Pregnancy and Beyond: Barriers and Innovations” was held at Hotel Shree Pancharatna, Pune this past Saturday. The event was jointly hosted by Weill Cornell Medicine, Deep Griha Society, and KEM Hospital Research Centre, bringing together leading experts, healthcare professionals, and community workers.
The highly informative and impactful sessions focused on how we can improve screening and management of Gestational Diabetes (GDM) and its long-term impact on both mothers and babies. Experts shared insights on challenges in screening, nutrition management, and innovative approaches in diabetes care.
Key speakers included renowned specialists Dr Neha Suryawanshi, Dr. Girija Wagh, Dr. Alpana Shukla, Sheryl Salis, Dr. Nihal Thomas and Dr Felix Jebasingh. Moderators included Dr Sanjaykumar Tambe, Dr Radhika Sundararajan, Dr Rucha Mehta, and Dr Puja Chebrolu. Interactive panel discussions and keynote sessions provided practical knowledge and solutions. A highlight of the conference was a discussion on “What is GDM really?” stimulated with the panelists by Dr CS Yajnik.
The conference also highlighted the importance of community-based research and the role of health workers in early detection and management of diabetes in pregnancy. We heard from Community Health Workers and the research team at the beginning of the conference. Overall, the event served as a platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and strengthening efforts toward better maternal and child health and primordial disease prevention by improving the health status of young women before pregnancy.