Further evidence for a preventive therapy of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in the offspring by avoiding maternal hyperglycaemia during pregnancy.

A highly significantly decreased prevalence of insulin-dependent childhood-onset diabetes (less than 1/3 of the initial prevalence rate) could be achieved in Berlin/GDR since 1973 by improving systematically diagnostic and therapeutic measures for pregnant diabetics, particularly for non-insulin-dependent gestational diabetics. In addition, a highly significantly increased incidence rate of diagnosed, diet-treated and delivered non-insulin-dependent pregnant diabetics was found between 1979 and 1983 in Berlin/GDR, Halle and Leipzig as compared to the other districts of the GDR. Simultaneously, a highly significantly decreased prevalence rate of diabetic children (less than 1/3), who were born during this period, was found in 1983 for Berlin, Halle and Leipzig as compared to the other districts of the GDR. Finally, a highly significant inverse correlation could be demonstrated for the 15 districts of the GDR between the incidence rates of diagnosed, diet-treated and delivered non-insulin-dependent pregnant diabetics and the prevalence rates of diabetic children who were born during this period (1979-1983). In view of these findings, an interruption and even a reversal of the continued dramatic increase of idiopathic insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus appears to be possible in the developed countries by preventing maternal hyperglycaemia during pregnancy and hence hyperinsulinism in the foetuses and newborns.