Diabetes and pregnancy - J. A Van Assche

The Series:

European Practice in Gynaecology and Obstetrics is a series of books conceived and endorsed by the European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (EBCOG). Its aim is to provide up-to-date, evidence-based information that represents the consensus of opinion among leading European experts in the field, as part of the overall aim of standardising training and practice in order to ensure quality care and facilitate exchange among physicians in all parts of Europe and the rest of the world.

The topics chosen for each volume are those of significant clinical interest where treatment is changing in response to research findings and developments in practice. The volume editor and contributing authors are European specialists invited to contribute because of their expertise in their field.

The books concentrate on various types of management used in European practice as well as published results. The authors present treatments for which a consensus exists and - when there is no consensus - they discuss the key elements of the controversy. Each book provides a review of the basic science, recent concepts in pathophysiology, clinical aspects, treatment and unresolved problems or controversies, as well as the major recent references. A final section provides multiple-choice questions for each chapter.

This volume:

Major progress has been made in understanding the physiopathology of
diabetes and pregnancy and this new volume in the EBCOG series includes current practice and developments in the area.

Diabetes affects at least 3 percent of the pregnant women and in some areas in the world the percentage is much higher. Furthermore, the incidence of diabetes increases worldwide.

Diabetes during pregnancy affects both the mother and the foetus, it is therefore necessary on the one hand to have pre-existing diabetes under control before and during pregnancy, and on the other hand to screen for gestational diabetes and if necessary to treat.

During pregnancy and labour optimal foetal and maternal surveillance is important and the newborn needs close supervision.

Recently it has been shown that the intra-uterine environment can have a transgenerational effect on the offspring, indicating the importance of achieving normal foetal growth.