Pregravid preparation of diabetic women

Abstract

Pregnancy in women with type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased risk for complications in both the mother and her fetus. The impact of these complications on modifiable risk factors may substantially improve pregnancy outcomes and reduce malformation rates in children. This is a goal of pregravid preparation (PGP) in this category of patients. The review gives the main points of PGP in patients with types 1 and DM and shows the results of main studies providing evidence for PGP in DM. In particular, by the moment of conception, DM patients should achieve a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) goal of <6% no later than 4 weeks before conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy, take folic acid in a high dose (at least 4000 ìg, or 4 mg, daily), quit tobacco smoking and alcohol use, receive potentially teratogenic drugs, and, if need be, lose weight (the target body mass index of <27 kg/m2).