title: Norethisterone and gestational diabetes.
abstract: In a single practice during the 21 years 1971-1991, the incidence of gestational diabetes in pregnancies in which norethisterone was prescribed was 32.4% (22 of 69) in comparison with 7.1% in pregnancies in which the women did not take norethisterone (137 of 1,684) (p < 0.001). Gestational diabetes was no less severe (degree of hyperglycaemia, need for insulin therapy) when associated with norethisterone. However, follow-up revealed that gestational diabetes when associated with norethisterone had a lesser risk of emerging diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance. Masculinization of a female fetus occurred in 5 of 39 (12.8%) exposed to norethisterone; all were cases of clitoral hypertrophy not requiring surgical treatment. Norethisterone in these 69 pregnancies accounted for 33.3% (5 of 15) cases of clitoral hypertrophy diagnosed in 100,756 consecutive births.
authors.affiliation: Mercy Hospital for Women, East Melbourne, Victoria.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Beischer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cookson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheedy
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002987:Clitoris / Q000473:pathology; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000139:chemically induced; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009640:Norethindrone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D009640:Norethindrone