Diabetes mellitus and pregnancy--the nine month experiment.

The writer presents a personal experience of caring for the pregnant diabetic. During a 27 year period (1951-1977) 328 women were treated in 649 pregnancies (668 infants). There was no maternal death. The overall perinatal loss was 9.1%. The Caesarean section rate was only 23%. In recent years a policy of intensely strict control of diabetes has improved foetal survival. It is suggested that this may represent objective evidence that strict control of diabetes has long term benefits.