Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion versus Multiple Daily Injections of Insulin for the Management of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus in Pregnancy: Association with Neonatal Chemical Hypoglycemia

Objective We hypothesized that patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) who were managed during their pregnancy with a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) would have a lower incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia (NH) than patients managed with multiple daily injections (MDI) of insulin. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort of 95 women with T1DM who delivered singleton, term neonates between 2007 and 2014. The primary outcome was incidence of NH (capillary plasma glucose <= 45 mg/dL) in the first 24 hours after birth. Results The incidence of NH was 66.0% (62/95). The NH rate was significantly higher in women managed with CSII versus MDI (62 vs. 38%, p = 0.024). Neonates with NH had a higher birth weight (3,867 +/- 658 vs. 3,414 +/- 619 g, p = 0.002). When analyzing intrapartum glucose management, mothers of neonates with NH had significantly less time managed on an insulin infusion (median interquartile range 7 [3.5-30.5] vs. 17.5 [2.0-17.5] hours, p = 0.014). In multivariable analysis, only maternal body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.035) and time on an insulin infusion (p = 0.043) were significantly associated with NH. Conclusion In our population of patients with T1DM, CSII was more prevalent in the NH group; however, when controlling for other factors, intrapartum glucose management and early maternal BMI were the only variables associated with NH.