Mineral homeostasis in neonates of streptozotocin-induced noninsulin-dependent diabetic rats and in their mothers during pregnancy and lactation.

To assess the affect of mild diabetes on calcium metabolism in an animal model, we evaluated calcium homeostasis before pregnancy and during gestation and lactation in non-insulindependent (NIDD) diabetic rat mothers and their neonates (NeoDM). Plasma glucose, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), phosphate (Pi), and immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (iPTH) were measured in the NIDD rats and controls before pregnancy, during the first, second, and third gestational week, and during lactation 12, 24, 48 and 72 h postpartum. The same measurements were performed on NeoDM and controls 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after birth. In the mothers, plasma calcitonin was assayed before pregnancy and at 72 h postpartum. Higher plasma glucose values before pregnancy (216 +/- 9 mg/dl vs 126 +/- 4) and during the second (105 +/- 5 vs 73 +/- 6) and third (114 +/- 8 vs 91 +/- 3) gestational week were observed in diabetic mothers when compared to controls. Glucose values decreased during the second and third gestational week in both groups compared to pregestational values. Plasma Ca, Mg, and Pi were similar in both groups during gestation and lactation except for the third gestational week when plasma Mg was lower in the diabetic mothers (P less than 0.05). Plasma iPTH rose to similar values in both groups during pregnancy. During lactation, plasma iPTH levels were higher and plasma calcitonin levels were lower compared to controls (P less than .05, P less than 0.01, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)