[75 diabetic pregnancies 1984-1991]

During the period 1984-1991, out-patient control of 75 pregnancies of diabetic women or women who developed diabetes during their pregnancy was performed. The controls were arranged prospectively so as to investigate the patients' metabolic status in relation to malformations and the perinatal mortality. The frequency of malformations was calculated as 8% and the perinatal mortality as 6.6%. The results show that the patients began the controls at a quite advanced stage of their pregnancies and that very few were well-regulated prior to conception (6%). Under out-patient control, the patients achieved an improvement in their metabolic status which is comparable to that of other centres. It is concluded: 1) That there is a need for optimal metabolic status before conception which requires special treatment of the group of fertile diabetic women and 2) that controls can be performed under an out-patient regime.