Diabetes and pregnancy

An increasing number of women who are pregnant have diabetes, whether gestational or pre-existing. Diabetes in pregnancy is associated with a number of adverse outcomes including birth trauma, neonatal hypoglycaemia, macrosomia and pre-eclampsia. Those with pre-existing diabetes have the additional risks which include congenital defects and increased perinatal mortality. This paper summarises the complications of diabetes in pregnancy and highlights some of the recent controversy surrounding the diagnosis of gestational diabetes.