The UK diabetic pregnancy survey

Abstract

Abstract. A prospective, national survey of the UK which examined the management and outcome of pregnancy complicated by maternal diabetes is described. The perinatal mortality rate was 3.7 and 1.5 times greater than the overall UK rate and the malformation rate 6.4% and 1.9% in pregnancies where the mother had insulin-dependent and gestational diabetes respectively. In 57% of cases no blood glucose measurement was recorded in the first trimester of pregnancy. Significantly fewer malformed infants resulted from prenancies where a first trimester blood glucose was recorded, irrespective of the value. Second and third trimester blood glucose values did not predict malformation but correlated inversely with gestational age at delivery and this was the major factor predicting the outcome of pregnancy.