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Published on: April 23, 2018
Insulin analogs and pregnancy: an update
Elisabetta Torlone1, Graziano Di Cianni, Domenico Mannino
1Dipartimento Medicina Interna Endocrinologia e Metabolismo, Azienda Ospedaliera S. Maria della Misericordia, Perugia, Italy. elisabetta.torlone@ospedale.perugia.it
Insulin analogs like aspart and lispro show promise for improving glycemic control in pregnant women with diabetes, with no observed adverse effects. Further research is needed for glulisine and detemir, while glargine use in pregnancy is not recommended.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Reproductive Medicine
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Good metabolic control in pregnancy is crucial for reducing maternal and fetal complications in diabetes.
- Optimizing insulin therapy before and during pregnancy is essential for managing diabetes effectively.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the potential benefits and risks of using insulin analogs during pregnancy.
- To assess the safety and efficacy of specific insulin analogs in pregnant women with diabetes.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical and experimental data on insulin aspart, lispro, glulisine, glargine, and detemir.
- Analysis of published studies, including retrospective and case-control studies, on insulin use in pregnancy.
Main Results:
- Insulin aspart and lispro show no adverse maternal or fetal effects, improving glycemic control and patient satisfaction.
- Limited data exists for glulisine; glargine is not recommended, though recent studies show similar malformation rates to human insulin in 335 pregnancies.
- No published data on detemir, with a prospective study expected in 2010.
Conclusions:
- Insulin aspart and lispro appear safe and effective for managing diabetes during pregnancy.
- Further research is required for glulisine and detemir, and caution is advised with glargine use in pregnancy.
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