A study on lymphocyte subpopulations in diabetic pregnant women and their newborn.

We studied the lymphocyte subpopulations in 14 pregnant women with type 1 insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), mean age (+/- SD) 30 +/- 4 years, mean disease duration 12 +/- 5 years, in 14 with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (mean age 33 +/- 6 years) and 21 matched healthy pregnant controls (C), when the subjects delivered, and in their newborn. The GDM and IDDM mothers show a significant increase (p < 0.05) of lymphocytes in comparison with C (GDM 1.83 +/- 0.5 x 10(9)/l, IDDM 1.6 +/- 0.68 x 10(9)/l, C 1.06 +/- 0.45 x 10(9)/l lymphocytes), which has repercussion on lymphocyte subpopulations absolute values. The newborn of GDM mothers have an increase of lymphocytes T-activated (0.6 +/- 0.3 vs 0.3 +/- 0.2%; p < 0.05) and a reduction of NK lymphocytes than C (8.9 +/- 9 vs 15.5 +/- 7.6%; p < 0.05). The newborn of IDDM mothers show a significant reduction of NK lymphocytes than C (10 +/- 6 vs 15.5 +/- 7.6%; p < 0.05). So in newborn of diabetic mothers there is a deficit of natural immunity at birth which has to be evaluated by follow-up study.