COMPARISON OF MATERNAL AND FETAL/NEONATAL COMPLICATIONS IN GESTATIONAL AND PRE-GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS

Presence of maternal diabetes mellitus (DM) during pregnancy has important consequences for both mother and child. To determine maternal and fetal/neonatal complications of gestational DM and compare them with pre-gestational DM, a prospective study was performed in 100 diabetic women delivered in our hospital from January 2001 to April 2002. Pregnancy outcome in 27 women with gestational DM and 73 women with pre-gestational DM and their offspring were studied and analyzed. The mean age of women was 28 years, women with gestational DM being slightly older than pregestational DM. Mothers with gestational DM were at increased risk of presenting with pre-eclampsia and preterm labor than pre-gestational DM. Frequency of Cesarean section was higher in mothers with pre-gestational DM. Frequencies of abortion and hypoglycemic episodes were similar in gestational DM and pre-gestational DM. Infants born to mothers with pre-gestational DM were at increased risk of suffering from respiratory distress syndrome and congenital malformations but rates of unexplained intrauterine fetal death and large for gestational age were higher in infant of mothers with gestational DM. Gestational and pre-gestational DM are associated with increased risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity. Both gestational and pre-gestational DM pregnancies and the offspring should be monitored and managed identically.