Evolution and natural history of diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy

The metabolic stress in both pregnancy and diabetic mellitus being endocrine mediated, it has always been feared whether a patient with an underlying retinopathy will progress into the more difficult proliferative stage with the coming of pregnancy. Admittedly, this important question has been answered differently by different investigators. However, much of these studies has been only impressive statistical analysis of large number of cases without any laboratory or clinical investigations being undertaken alongside to ascertain into the role of all endocrine hormones. We have tried to fill this omission here in this study. From this study we have come to believe that there is no factual evidence of deleterious relationship between the onset of pregnancy and the underlying diabetic retinopathy. Matter of factly, our study show that pregnancy may actually provide respite from developing further complications. Here, the hormone prolactin may play an important protective role.