Parity does not affect diabetes complications in women with type 1 diabetes

The problem concerning the impact of pregnancy on diabetic complications is a matter for discussion as there is some evidence suggesting that pregnancy may trigger development or progression of diabetic chronic complications. However, currently available data concerning this issue is still controversial.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of obstetric history on the development of chronic microangiopatic and macroangiopatic complications in type 1 diabetic women.

The retrospective study comprised 226 white Caucasian type 1 diabetic women, including 190 parous and 36 nulliparous women. Anthropometric data, information concerning the course of the disease, including metabolic control and chronic complications, together with obstetric history, were registered.

Parous women were older (p<0.001), but did not differ significantly regarding metabolic control in the course of the disease (p>0.05) and diabetes duration (p>0.05) from nulliparous subjects. There were no significant differences in the incidence (p>0.05) nor onset (p>0.05) of chronic diabetes complications between the groups. The number of deliveries did not correlate with either the incidence nor the onset of chronic complications. Longer DM duration at the moment of first delivery was related to the higher incidence of retinopathy (p<0.01), nephropathy (p<0.05) and neuropathy (p<0.001).

The incidence of chronic diabetic complications does not differ between parous women and the subjects that were never pregnant, and is not related to the number of pregnancies.