[Intensified insulin therapy and insulin micro-pumps during pregnancy]

Before conception and during pregnancy in diabetic patients, every possible effort should be made in order to obtain a good, if not perfect, metabolic control and to warrant maternal and fetal health. Multiple daily injections are required to achieve a very strict glucose regulation in pregnant patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The most usual intensive insulin administration patterns require 3 premeal doses of short-acting insulin and 1 (at bedtime) or 2 (one in the morning and one at bedtime) injections of intermediate or slow-acting insulin. As an alternative choice, insulin pumps allow a continuous subcutaneous infusion with short-acting insulin according to a basal rate which cover the insulin need during the night and between meals. Premeal and presnack surges of insulin are administrated by the patient herself. Home glucose monitoring must be used to adjust insulin doses. Target glucose levels every diabetic pregnant woman should try to achieve are lower than in non-pregnant women: fasting glycaemia should be below 100 mg/dl, 1 hour post-prandial value below 140 mg/dl and 2 hour post-prandial level below 120 mg/dl. The stricter the control and treatment goals are, the more frequently hypoglycaemia may occur. Hypoglycaemia may be harmful especially for patients with severe diabetic complications and may affect the fetus. Therefore, every pregnant diabetic woman should receive individualized treatment and glycaemic goals according to her clinical features, her compliance and her social and cultural background.