title: Endocrine pancreatic sensitivity to glucose in women with gestational diabetes.
abstract: To study whether gestational diabetes is the result of abnormal endocrine pancreatic adaptation to pregnancy, alpha- and beta-cell sensitivity to glucose was determined during pregnancy and post partum in seven women of normal weight who had gestational diabetes. Glucose was infused intravenously in quantities producing similar increases in plasma glucose in pregnancy and post partum, and the plasma glucose curves obtained closely resembled those found during an oral glucose tolerance test. The insulin response to the infusion was 3.5 times greater in pregnancy (P less than .02), whereas glucagon was suppressed similarly in pregnancy and post partum. These findings resemble previous ones in normal women. It is concluded that pancreatic alpha and beta cells adapt similarly to pregnancy in women with gestational diabetes and in normal women.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000503:physiopathology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D005934:Glucagon