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When and how to start insulin treatment in gestational diabetes: a UK perspective
Author(s) -
Hadden D. R.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1046/j.1464-5491.2001.00412.x
Subject(s) - medicine , gestational diabetes , insulin , pregnancy , diabetes mellitus , type 2 diabetes , obesity , population , endocrinology , epidemiology , obstetrics , gestation , pediatrics , environmental health , genetics , biology
Gestational diabetes mellitus, however currently defined, is relatively rare in a UK Caucasian population, but is much more common in other ethnic groups. There is likely soon to be better agreement on diagnostic levels of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy, but there is still considerable reluctance to start insulin therapy. There is now good evidence that insulin administered twice daily during the third trimester to mothers who have even a mild degree of hyperglycaemia will reduce fetal size, and in particular fetal adiposity. In relation to recent concepts of the transgenerational passage of Type 2 diabetes and obesity, further epidemiological investigation is required. Insulin treatment in pregnancy may also prove to have a role in prevention of Type 2 diabetes in the next generation. Diabet. Med. 18, 960–964 (2001)