Summary
The prognosis in diabetic pregnancy has greatly improved as a result of patient education and the availability of home blood glucose monitoring techniques enabling the implementation of good metabolic control pre-pregnancy, antenatal and intrapartum. These in turn have made possible the benefits to the offspring of vaginal delivery at term. Screening for gestational diabetes is important and the prognosis is also good where maternal normoglycaemia is achieved. All diabetic pregnancies should be cared for in specialist units under the supervision of an integrated team comprising an obstetrician, diabetologist and paediatrician, and for optimal results care should start prior to conception.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Durnin JVGA, McKillop FM, Grant S, Fitzgerland G. Energy requirements of pregnancy in Scotland. Lancet 2: 897–900, 1987
Freinkel N. (Ed.). Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop-Conference on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes 34 (Suppl. 2): 123, 1985
Fuhrmann K, Reiher H, Semmler K. Fischer F, Fischer M. et al. Prevention of congenital malformations in infants of insulin dependent diabetic mothers. Diabetes Care 6: 219–223, 1983
Hadden DR. Geographic, ethnic and racial variations in the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus. Proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop-Conference on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Chicago, October 25–27, 1984. Diabetes 34 (Suppl. 2): 8–12, 1985
Koivisto V, Felig P. Alterations in insulin absorption and in blood glucose control associated with varying insulin injection sites in diabetic patients. Annals of Internal Medicine 92: 59–61, 1980
Leiper JM, Paterson KR, Lunan CB. MacCuish AC. A comparison of biosynthetic human insulin with porcine insulin in the blood glucose control of diabetic pregnancy. Diabetic Medicine 3: 49–51, 1986
Lowy C, Beard RW. The British Survey of Diabetic Pregnancies. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 89: 783–786, 1982
Molsted-Pedersen L, Kuhl C. Obstetrical management in diabetic pregnancy: the Copenhagen experience. Diabetologia 29: 13–16, 1968
Mylvaganam R, Stowers JM, Steel JM, Wallace J, MacHendry JC, et al. Insulin immunogenicity in pregnancy: maternal and fetal studies. Diabetologia, 24: 19–25, 1983
Reid JA, Russell G. Qualitative assessment of children of known gestational diabetic mothers. In Sutherland & Stowers (Eds) Carbohydrate metabolism in pregnancy and the newborn, pp. 462–477, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1979
Stowers JM, Sutherland HW. The use of the sulphonylureas, biguanides and insulin in pregnancy. In Sutherland & Stowers (Eds) Carbohydrate metabolism in pregnancy and the newborn, pp. 205–220, Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1975
Sutherland HW, Bewsher PD, Cormack JD, Hughes CRT, Russell G, et al. Effect of moderate dosage of chlorpropamide in pregnancy on fetal outcome. Archives of Diseases in Childhood 49: 283–291, 1974
Sutherland HW, Stowers JM, Cormack JD, Bewsher PD. Evaluation of chlorpropamide in chemical diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy. British Medical Journal 2: 9–13, 1973
Traub AI, Harley JMG, Cooper TK, Maguiness S, Hadden DR. Is centralized hospital care necessary for all insulin-dependent pregnant diabetics? British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 94: 957–962, 1986
Further Reading
Sutherland HW, Stowers JM. (Eds). Carbohydrate metabolism in pregnancy and the newborn. Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1984
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sutherland, H.W., Pearson, D.W.M. & Powrie, J.K. Management of the Pregnant Diabetic Patient. Drugs 36, 239–248 (1988). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-198836020-00006
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-198836020-00006