"Adapted from BMJ 14 June 2025
Judith Steel was responsible for establishing the first pre-pregnancy unit for type one diabetic women in the UK.
Judith Steel was born in 1940 and died of a chest infection due the effects of a spinal tumour on 8th January 2025.
In 1976 she and obstetrician Frank Johnstone set up a diabetic clinic for type one women in the Simpson Memorial Pavilion Edinburgh. They recognised that high blood sugars greatly influence congenital abnormalities which occur in early pregnancy, and that early intervention, before pregnancy occurs is necessary.
Women between the ages of 14 and 40 were advised on dietary changes to improve their chances of having a normal baby. Of the 143 births at the unit by 1990, only 2 babies had congenital abnormalities. In comparison, of 96 women who defaulted from the clinic, 10 babies with malformations were born.
Worldwide, such clinics were set up, improving the outlook for countless families. Now, these special clinics are mainstream.
Judith wrote many academic papers and also Personal Experiences of Pregnancy Care in Women with Insulin Dependent Diabetes in 1994.
Judith unfortunately developed a spinal cord tumour in the 1980s. This gave her mobility problems in her legs. She had two operations but was not able to be cured, and had to use a wheelchair.
Judith was born in West Yorkshire, UK. She entered Edinburgh University and qualified in 1965. At the time, men greatly outnumbered the women who were admitted to the medical degree course. She particularly enjoyed the lectures of Leslie Duncan who was a diabetologist and veterinary surgeon. He would bring patients to lectures including dogs. After qualifying she joined his diabetology team.
She met her future husband Michael Steel at anatomy lectures. He was initially on crutches after a motorcycle accident. They married in 1962. After graduation they worked together in Nigeria. They then worked together at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital and then in Kenya in a diabetology unit.
In 1983 Judith was appointed to an associate specialist position and started working with adolescents with eating disorders associated with diabetes. She was awarded an MBE in 1992.
Michael moved to St. Andrews University and Judith moved to the Victoria Hospital Kirkaldy. She studied the development of blindness in diabetes and found that this could be prevented if eye screening was done every 1-2 years.
Both Judith and Michael travelled around the world to share knowledge with other diabetologists. She spent her retirement in Edinburgh and is survived by her husband, three children, and six grandchildren.
A comment from Dr Katharine Morrison: I had never heard of Dr Steel till I read this obituary in the BMJ. She certainly was a trailblazer and improved the outlook for diabetics worldwide. She contributed to improvements in pre-pregnancy and pregnancy care for type one women, eating disorders, and reducing blindness. Much of her work was copied and is now a part of regular care. She did much of her work from a wheelchair and managed to bring up three children. Thank you Judith."
Judith Steel was born in 1940 and died of a chest infection due the effects of a spinal tumour on 8th January 2025.
In 1976 she and obstetrician Frank Johnstone set up a diabetic clinic for type one women in the Simpson Memorial Pavilion Edinburgh. They recognised that high blood sugars greatly influence congenital abnormalities which occur in early pregnancy, and that early intervention, before pregnancy occurs is necessary.
Women between the ages of 14 and 40 were advised on dietary changes to improve their chances of having a normal baby. Of the 143 births at the unit by 1990, only 2 babies had congenital abnormalities. In comparison, of 96 women who defaulted from the clinic, 10 babies with malformations were born.
Worldwide, such clinics were set up, improving the outlook for countless families. Now, these special clinics are mainstream.
Judith wrote many academic papers and also Personal Experiences of Pregnancy Care in Women with Insulin Dependent Diabetes in 1994.
Judith unfortunately developed a spinal cord tumour in the 1980s. This gave her mobility problems in her legs. She had two operations but was not able to be cured, and had to use a wheelchair.
Judith was born in West Yorkshire, UK. She entered Edinburgh University and qualified in 1965. At the time, men greatly outnumbered the women who were admitted to the medical degree course. She particularly enjoyed the lectures of Leslie Duncan who was a diabetologist and veterinary surgeon. He would bring patients to lectures including dogs. After qualifying she joined his diabetology team.
She met her future husband Michael Steel at anatomy lectures. He was initially on crutches after a motorcycle accident. They married in 1962. After graduation they worked together in Nigeria. They then worked together at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital and then in Kenya in a diabetology unit.
In 1983 Judith was appointed to an associate specialist position and started working with adolescents with eating disorders associated with diabetes. She was awarded an MBE in 1992.
Michael moved to St. Andrews University and Judith moved to the Victoria Hospital Kirkaldy. She studied the development of blindness in diabetes and found that this could be prevented if eye screening was done every 1-2 years.
Both Judith and Michael travelled around the world to share knowledge with other diabetologists. She spent her retirement in Edinburgh and is survived by her husband, three children, and six grandchildren.
A comment from Dr Katharine Morrison: I had never heard of Dr Steel till I read this obituary in the BMJ. She certainly was a trailblazer and improved the outlook for diabetics worldwide. She contributed to improvements in pre-pregnancy and pregnancy care for type one women, eating disorders, and reducing blindness. Much of her work was copied and is now a part of regular care. She did much of her work from a wheelchair and managed to bring up three children. Thank you Judith."
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All the best Jan
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