Is pregnancy a risk factor for microvascular complications? The EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the long-term influence of pregnancy on the development and progression of microvascular complications in Type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
In the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study (PCS), 793 women potentially child bearing at baseline completed the follow-up (7.3 years) and 163 (21%) gave birth during the follow-up period. We compared risk factors [mean levels of age, duration of diabetes, HbA(1c), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and proportion giving birth] between those that did or did not develop microvascular complications during the follow-up period.


RESULTS
For the 425 childless women at baseline, 102 gave birth during follow-up. HbA(1c) was a significant risk factor for progression to microalbuminuria but age, duration of diabetes, systolic blood pressure or giving birth were not. Duration of diabetes and high HbA(1c) were significant risk factors for progression to proliferative retinopathy, whereas giving birth was not. Similar results were obtained for progression to any form of retinopathy. Giving birth was not significantly related to the incidence of neuropathy. Similar results were obtained for women with children at baseline giving birth during follow-up (n = 61/368).


CONCLUSIONS
In this European study, having a first or another pregnancy did not seem to be a risk factor for long-term progression of any microvascular complication. This is in accordance with the findings of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT).
Vérier-Mine
O
O
Service de Diabetologie-Endocronologie, Centre Hospitalier de Valenciennes, France.
Chaturvedi
N
N
Webb
D
D
Fuller
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin