Insulin Requirements in Type 1 Diabetic Pregnancy

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the insulin requirements in women with type 1 diabetes during twin pregnancy compared with singleton pregnancy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS At 8, 14, 21, 27, and 33 gestational weeks, insulin requirements and HbA1c were compared between 15 twin pregnant women from 2000 to 2011 and 108 singleton pregnant women from 2004 to 2006. RESULTS In twin pregnancies, the weekly increase in daily insulin dose between 14 and 27 weeks was higher than in singleton pregnancies (median 3.0 international units [IU] [range 0.9–4.9] versus 1.5 IU [−1.5 to 5.9]; P = 0.008) and remained stable from 27 to 33 weeks. The increment in total insulin requirement from before pregnancy until 33 weeks tended to be higher in twin pregnancies (103% [36–257%] versus 71% [−20 to 276%]; P = 0.07). Throughout pregnancy, HbA1c was similar in twin and singleton pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS In twin pregnancies, the weekly increase in insulin dose between 14 and 27 weeks was doubled compared with singleton pregnancies.