Pregnancy and delivery in a patient with a 40-year history of type 1 diabetes mellitus and antiphospholipid syndrome

Abstract

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a condition associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes such as spontaneous abortions, preterm birth, placental insufficiency, congenital malformations, and perinatal mortality. Diabetes mellitus combined with cardiovascular diseases in women during pregnancy often leads to hypertensive disorders and pre-eclampsia. The severity of the microvascular diabetic complications and frequency of hypoglycemic episodes, particularly in early pregnancy, are related to the risk of pre-eclampsia. We report the case of pregnancy and delivery of a live newborn in a 42-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes mellitus, pre-existing hypertension, heritable thrombophilia, and antiphospholipid syndrome. She had a 40-year history of type 1 diabetes mellitus with well-controlled diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy. The woman had been receiving continuous subcutaneous insulin therapy for the last five years, which allowed maintaining an appropriate glycemic control during pregnancy. Multidisciplinary supervision of course of pregnancy was carried out from the pre-gravidity stage until delivery and postpartum. In spite of the severe pre-eclampsia and preterm delivery by cesarean section at 36 weeks, she and newborn could avoid the intensive unit care and discharge from perinatal center without any complications.