BACKGROUND The adverse effects of hyperglycemia on the fetus have been recognized since women with diabetes first began to survive and reproduce. Very high rates of late pregnancy fetal loss,…

BACKGROUND The impact of pregestational diabetes and gestational diabetes upon the mother during pregnancy is covered in other chapters. Adverse consequences for the fetus and the neonate arise either from…

BACKGROUND Diabetic retinopathy prevalence at baseline Diabetic retinopathy, a microvascular complication of diabetes, remains a leading cause of acquired blindness in young and middle-aged adults.1 Currently, the estimated general population…

BACKGROUND Obstetric intervention in pregnant women with pregestational diabetes prior to spontaneous labor has been standard practice for decades. The objectives were, and still are, to avoid the fetus dying…

CASE HISTORY A 39-year-old woman presented to her physician with a 6-month history of polyuria, nocturia, 5 lb (2.3 kg) weight loss and vaginal itch. She was overweight at 168…

BACKGROUND Diabetic pregnancy continues to present a substantial risk for both mother and baby.1–4 Much of this risk occurs at the time of labor and delivery. This book has highlighted…

PRACTICE POINTS Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a very serious complication of pregnancy that threatens the mother’s life and the health and viability of the fetus. DKA only occurs in situations…

BACKGROUND Historically, the study of diabetes in pregnancy has focused on either women with Type 1 diabetes, whose poor obstetric outcomes once led to an editorial entitled “They give birth…

BACKGROUND Diabetic nephropathy during pregnancy has been defined as a total urinary protein excretion of greater than or equal to 300 mg/24 h measured prior to pregnancy or greater than…