ABSTRACT
The charts of all diabetic women and their infants delivered during the years 1983-1988
in our department were reviewed. The test group included consecutive gestational diabetic
women class A1 (n = 65) and class A2 (n = 59), who delivered beyond 40 weeks of gestation.
The mean gestational age at delivery was 40.90 weeks (range, 40.0 to 42.5 7) in class
A1 and 40.49 weeks (range, 40.0 to 42.28) in class A2 patients. The first control
group matched for age, parity, and presentation included 65 gestational diabetic patients
class A1 and 59 A2 who delivered prior to 40 weeks' gestation. The second control
group matched for age, parity, and presentation included 124 nondiabetic patients
who delivered beyond 40 weeks of gestation (mean, 41.04 ± 0.83 weeks). By allowing
the pregnancies of gestational diabetic patients class A1 and class A2 to proceed
beyond 40 weeks of gestation, we did not increase the incidence of perinatal mortality
and morbidity rate. The cesarean section rate was low (10.76% in class A1 and 22.03%
in class A2). We suggest that not only elective intervention prior to 40 weeks of
gestation is to be avoided, but an attempt should be made to allow the gestational
diabetics class A1 and class A2 to proceed to spontaneous labor.
