Pregnancy complicated by clinical diabetes mellitus. A study of 600 pregnancies.
In a consecutive series of 600 pregnancies (618 infants) in 300 clinically diabetic patients, treated in Dublin, Ireland, the maternal mortality was 0 and the loss of viable infants was 9.5%. Therapeutic abortion and sterilization were not practiced. The cesarean section rate was 23%. The major causes of perinatal loss were hyaline membrane disease and congenital malformations. Recent routine estimation of the L/S ratio in amniotic fluid led to a reduced incidence of respiratory distress syndrome and a consequent improvement in perinatal mortality. At a very early stage in pregnancy diabetic patients should be referred to a center in which physician, obstetrician, nurse, and pediatrician operate as a team. Strict control of diabetes is essential.
D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000209:etiology; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy