[Diabetes and pregnancy: treatment and results (author's transl)]

Pregnancy and delivery in 190 diabetic women are described. Obstetric, medical and neonatal guidelines for treatment are outlined and the following results are reported: 1. The delivery dates suggested by P. White were generally exceeded by 2 weeks. Group A was delivered at term, group B generally in the 38th week, group C between the 37th and 38th week and group D mostly in the 37th week of gestation. 2. Spontaneous delivery was achieved in 60% of the cases; Caesarean section was necessary in 33%, whilst the incidence of vacuum extraction was 5%. 3. The perinatal infant mortality rate in diabetic pregnancy decreased from 22.9% in 1970/71 to 2.7% in 1972/1976. 4. Perinatal mortality was related to the degree of severity of diabetes according to White's classification. 5. The percentage of PBSP cases was lowered from 32% to 24%. Perinatal mortality in the PBSP group decreased from 50% in 1970/71 to 19% in 1972/1976. 6. Hypoglycaemia occurred in 70% of 74 newborn infants submitted to intensive neonatal care. A true glucose value of less than 25 mg% was recorded in 30% of these cases. Hypocalcaemia was present in 16% cases, whilst 62% of the newborn infants suffered from respiratory distress syndrome. Cardiomegaly occurred in 28% of infants. 7. Development and prognosis are judged to be favourable in children of diabetic mothers.