Care of pregnant diabetics: medical aspects

A method has been worked out for the intensive care of pregnant diabetics with the object of preventing damage both to the mother and the fetus. The method requires close cooperation between a team of doctors including obstetrician, internist and pediatrician. The present paper reports the experience of the first two years of application of the method and refers to a total of 75 women. The main point consists in an attempt to maintain a normal blood glucose level by administering increasing doses of insulin. Periods of inpatient management alternated with close outpatient control. Of the 75 insulin-dependent diabetics 45% had severe diabetes (White classes D-F); nevertheless, perinatal mortality was only 5.78 per cent. It is worth stressing that the 25 diabetics who came under intensive care before conception or in the early stages of pregnancy all gave birth to live healthy babies.