Eclampsia in a diabetic

Summary

We have described a case of eclampsia in a young diabetic primipara whose diabetes had begun 2 years before pregnancy. Prophylactic treatment along the lines laid down by Tweedy did not prevent the onset of fits. Fifteen fits occurred within eleven hours before the patient was delivered in coma of a dead twelve pound infant, whose death we attribute to the unusual difficulty encountered in delivery. The patient herself made a very rapid and uneventful recovery after delivery.

The treatment adopted is described, and it may be noted that, no matter whether or not it was ideal, no trouble was experienced either from ketosis or hypoglycæmia.

The carbohydrate tolerance appears to have improved.

It may be concluded that free administration of glucose combined with moderate insulin dosage does not interfere with the treatment of eclampsia, and does enable a diabetic to withstand a severe eclamptic puerperium without damage to her metabolic functions.