Pregnancy in Diabetics: Clinicobiological Features and Evolution

Background: The association between diabetes and pregnancy is a real public health problem due to the inherent maternal and fetal complications.Aims: To study the clinical and biological features of diabetic pregnancies.Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study including pregnant diabetic women followed at the National Institute of Nutrition of Tunis.Results: We included 100 patients with a mean age of 32.87±5.3 years. In preconception, 63.6% of patients were overweight and had poorly balanced diabetes (HbA1c> 7%). The mean weight gain throughout the pregnancy was 8.62 ± 5.39 kg. Pregnancy was planned in 18% of cases.Significant improvement in HbA1c was observed in the second trimester. The average daily insulin dose increased from 0.68 u/kg/day in the first trimester to 0.87 u/kg/day in the third trimester (p <0.001). Full term delivery occurred in 72% of cases.The majority (93.3%) of our patients gave birth by caesarean section. Macrosomia was observed in 24% of cases. The main neonatal complications were neonatal respiratory distress and hypoglycemia in 26.7% and 20.5% of cases, respectively. Five newborns had deformities.Conclusion: Diabetic pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of maternal and fetal complications. An action on modifiable factors, before conception, could significantly improve its prognosis.

PROGNOSIS OF THE OUTCOME OF PREGNANCIES IN DIABETICS

ABSTRACT In order to improve the possibilities of predicting the outcome of pregnancy in diabetics, we analysed a consecutive series of 304 pregnancies in 263 diabetic women in the Royal Maternity Department B, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, during the 5-year period 1959-1963. The period of supervision and treatment during pregnancy varied greatly. The perinatal mortality in the 306 infants was 17.9%. According to the results of this analysis, patients with a poor prognosis were divided into the following four groups: Pregnant women who developed (1) hyperpyretic pyelitis, (2) pre-coma or severe acidosis, (3) toxaemia, or patients who could be so described, (4) »neglectors« These four groups, and the classification, are designated PBSP (Prognostically Bad Signs during Pregnancy). The mothers of 130 infants belonged to one or more of the four groups of PBSP, and among the infants of these mothers the perinatal mortality was 31.5% as compared with 7.9% in the group of 176 infants without PBSP during pregnancy. The poor prognosis for the pregnancies with PBSP applies to all foetal weight groups. In addition, these pregnancies terminate in premature delivery twice as often as the others. It is demonstrated that from the prognostic point of view, nothing is gained by including hydramnios in PBSP. The risk involved by a PBSP complication to the foetus depends on the White (1949) class in which it occurs. A combination of White's classification of pregnant diabetics with regard to foetal prognosis used together with the present classification improves the possibility of predicting the foetal prognosis in a series of pregnant diabetics which is mixed as regards the length of treatment during pregnancy.