NEW DELHI: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are now a major cause of poor health among women of reproductive age and are increasingly recognized as key contributors to illness and death during pregnancy and childbirth.
Concerned that globally, more pregnancies are being affected by NCDs such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart conditions, obesity and other long-term health problems, the WHO is developing new recommendations to improve care for pregnant and postpartum women living with NCDs.
Highlighting that global evidence shows a clear shift in the causes of maternal deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said a rising share is now due to indirect causes, many of them linked to NCDs.
“Today, indirect causes account for about 23% of maternal deaths worldwide, making them the second leading cause after haemorrhage,” WHO said.
These conditions, which may already exist before pregnancy or develop during it, can affect the health of both the woman and the baby.
The impact is especially heavy in low‑ and middle‑income countries (LMIC), where most maternal deaths occur and where NCDs are becoming a growing driver of poor health outcomes.
To discuss the issue, WHO is holding an expert convening on NCD care integration during pregnancy, on June 30. The group aims to ensure that WHO guideline-derivative tools are practical, implementable, and responsive to health-system realities.
At the event, experts will also provide guidance on the dissemination and implementation of new and upcoming clinical guidelines on maternal and perinatal health and NCDs, supporting their integration into existing WHO tools and strengthening continuity of care across the life course.
WHO said NCDs during pregnancy are linked to complications such as pre‑eclampsia, preterm birth, babies who are either smaller or larger than expected for their gestational age, and higher rates of caesarean section.
For example, obesity and high blood pressure in pregnancy increase the chances of developing gestational diabetes or hypertensive disorders and are associated with more caesarean births and newborn complications like macrosomia or the need for neonatal intensive care.
The effects can also continue long after pregnancy. Women who experience NCDs during pregnancy face a greater risk of ongoing or worsening chronic conditions, especially cardiovascular disease. Their children are also more likely to develop obesity and other NCDs later in life.
In 2025, WHO released the first set of guidelines, focusing on the management of sickle cell anaemia and diabetes in pregnancy.
Even with these new guidelines, important questions remain about how to put these complex recommendations into practice in an equitable way.
This is especially challenging in LMICs, where there are often too few specialists such as maternal-fetal medicine experts or endocrinologists.
For many women in LMICs, antenatal care is their first point of contact with the health system. “Making sure this moment leads to high‑quality NCD care is still difficult, both in LMICs and in high‑income countries, and NCD management is often overlooked within maternal health services,” the WHO said.
