CME

Preconception care for women with type 1 diabetes

Jennifer A. Klinke, MD  Ellen L. Toth, MD, FRCPC

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To emphasize preconception care of women with type 1 diabetes and the role of primary care physicians in evaluating and counseling them.
QUALITY OF EVIDENCE Substantial level II evidence indicates that tight glycemic control before conception and early in pregnancy reduces the rate of congenital malformations. Most evidence concerning maternal and fetal risks during pregnancy in patients with type 1 diabetes is level III or IV. Little is published on the role of family physicians in providing preconception counseling or care.
MAIN MESSAGE Preconception care is effective in improving glycemic control early in pregnancy and in reducing the rate of congenital malformations. Preconception evaluation of type 1 diabetic patients involves assessment of prepregnancy glycemic control and diabetic complications. Preconception counseling includes discussing the rate of transmission of diabetes, the effects of pregnancy on maternal and fetal complications, and the use of contraception until optimal glycemic control can be attained.
CONCLUSION Primary care physicians often have frequent and early contact with women of reproductive age; they are ideal candidates for providing type 1 diabetic women with preconception evaluation and counseling.

RÉSUMÉ

OBJECTIF Faire le point sur la prise en charge des femmes avec un diabète de type 1 avant la conception et sur le rôle du médecin de première ligne pour évaluer ces patientes et les conseiller.
QUALITÉ DES PREUVES Des preuves convaincantes de niveau II indiquent qu’un contrôle serré des glycémies avant la conception et en début de grossesse réduit le taux de malformations congénitales. Les preuves concernant les risques maternels et fœtaux de la grossesse chez les patientes souffrant de diabète de type 1 sont pour la plupart de niveaux III et IV. Très peu d’articles traitent du rôle du médecin de famille comme source de conseils et de soins avant la conception.
PRINCIPAL MESSAGE La prise en charge des patientes avant la conception est efficace pour améliorer le contrôle de la glycémie en début de grossesse et réduire le taux de malformations congénitales. Avant la conception, l’évaluation des patientes souffrant de diabète de type 1 porte, entre autres, sur le contrôle de la glycémie et les complications diabétiques pré-existantes. Les discussions à cette étape portent sur le taux de transmission du diabète, sur les complications maternelles et fœtales pouvant résulter de la grossesse et sur l’utilisation de contraception jusqu’à ce qu’un contrôle optimal de la glycémie soit atteint.
CONCLUSION Plusieurs médecins de première ligne ont des contacts fréquents et précoces avec des femmes en âge de concevoir; ils sont donc très bien placés pour évaluer et conseiller les femmes souffrant de diabète de type 1 avant la conception.

This article has been peer reviewed. Cet article a fait l’objet d’une évaluation externe. Can Fam Physician 2003;49:769-773.

Dr Klinke is a third-year Internal Medicine Resident in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Dr Toth is a Professor in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Department of Medicine, is a Fellow of the Institute of Health Economics at the University of Alberta, and is a diabetes specialist on staff at the University of Alberta Hospitals.

An estimated two million Canadians have diabetes mellitus: 10% of them have type 1 diabetes. Given the usual early onset of type 1 diabetes, most of these patients will have diabetes during their peak reproductive years.

Organogenesis occurs within the first 8 weeks of gestation, before most women know they are pregnant. It has been well documented that elevated HbA1C levels in early pregnancy are associated with increased risk of congenital anomalies and spontaneous abortions.1-3 The rate of congenital anomalies among offspring of women with type 1 diabetes approaches that among offspring of nondiabetic women when strict glycemic control is achieved before conception.4 Thus, it is essential that all diabetic women of childbearing age be educated about the importance of tight glycemic control before conceiving. Given the nature of general practice, family practitioners often have frequent and early contact with women of childbearing age. Primary care physicians, therefore, are in an ideal position for providing preconception care. This update outlines essential elements family physicians should include when evaluating and counseling patients with type 1 diabetes before they conceive.

Quality of evidence

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were searched using the key words “diabetes mellitus, insulin-dependent”; “pregnancy in diabetes”; “preconception care”; “prepregnancy care”; ”physicians, family”; and “counseling.” The search was limited to English-language articles. Because type 1 diabetes is a relatively new term, insulin-dependent diabetes was the main search term used to maximize results. References from all studies were searched for further relevant publications.

Articles were selected based on the best available evidence concerning both pregnancy-associated risks in type 1 diabetes and preconception evaluation and counseling. Levels of evidence ranged from II to IV. Most studies were small prospective or retrospective studies. We were unable to find any current relevant publications on family physicians’ role in providing preconception counseling and care to type 1 diabetic patients.

Preconception care

Preconception care includes evaluating both diabetes control and complications and counseling on the risks of pregnancy. According to Canadian Diabetes Association clinical practice guidelines, any woman with diabetes planning a pregnancy should be assessed for level of glycemic control and status of any diabetic complications.5 Preconception evaluation should consist of a thorough history and physical examination in conjunction with laboratory investigations. Specifically, any history of gastroparesis, hypoglycemic unawareness, or orthostatic hypotension should be sought, as these conditions can compromise maternal health during pregnancy.

Hemoglobin (HbA1C) should be measured. Creatinine clearance and 24-hour microalbumin excretion tests are required before conception and at regular intervals during pregnancy. Thyroid function tests are also indicated, as 5% to 10% of patients with type 1 diabetes have concomitant thyroid disease.6 Referral to an ophthalmologist for evaluation of any pre-existing retinopathy should be made.5 Finally, a prepregnancy exercise stress test should be considered for those with increased cardiac risk (ie, diabetes duration longer than 20 years, hyperlipidemia, signs or symptoms of vascular disease). A stress test could also be considered for those with cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy, as symptoms of myocardial infarction can be masked.7 Table 1 summarizes the preconception workup. Preconception counseling should involve discussion of the risk of transmitting diabetes, the risk of congenital anomalies, fetal and maternal complications of pregnancy, and the need for pregnancy planning6,8 (Table 2).

Risk of transmitting diabetes to offspring

Patients can overestimate their chances of transmitting type 1 diabetes to their children. One large prospective trial in Finland, which has the world’s highest incidence of type 1 diabetes, looked at the risk of developing diabetes in 9453 offspring of type 1 diabetic parents. The cumulative risk of developing diabetes by age 20 was 5.3%. Further, there was a sex-specific difference: offspring of diabetic fathers had a cumulative risk of 7.6%; offspring of diabetic mothers had a risk of 3.5%.9 Thus, men with type 1 diabetes have a greater chance of passing the disease on to their children. Overall, however, the transmission rate of type 1 diabetes is quite low.

Risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality

Poor glycemic control during the first trimester is associated with increased risk of spontaneous abortion and congenital malformations.4 Major congenital malformations associated with diabetes involve abnormalities of the skeletal, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, cardiac, and central nervous systems.10 Preconception HbA1C less than 3.5 standard deviations above the normal mean is believed to be ideal7 (eg, the HbA1C should be less than 6.8% for laboratories where the upper limit of normal is 6.1%). At such a level, the rate of congenital anomalies is similar to that of nondiabetic mothers. Target glucose levels in preparation for conception and during pregnancy are fasting < 5.3 mmol/L, and 2-hour postprandial < 6.7 mmol/L.5

Other pregnancy risks in type 1 diabetes include macrosomia and neonatal hypoglycemia. As well, intrauterine growth retardation, preeclampsia, and preterm delivery can complicate pregnancies in the presence of maternal nephropathy.11 Neonatal morbidity associated with smoking, alcohol use, and folate deficiency are concerns—just as they would be in nondiabetic pregnancies.

Risk of maternal complications

Women with type 1 diabetes need to be educated about the effect of pregnancy on complications of their diabetes. Retinopathy can progress during pregnancy.12 Worsening of retinopathy is correlated with higher HbA1C levels and possibly with rapid improvement of metabolic control.10-13 In order to document baseline status, patients should be seen by an ophthalmologist before conceiving. If no abnormalities are present initially, patients can generally be reassured. Women with background retinopathy should anticipate repeated ophthalmologic examination during pregnancy. If any proliferative changes are found, they are best treated before pregnancy.7

Development and progression of diabetic nephropathy during pregnancy is associated with poor blood pressure and glycemic control.11 Progression of diabetic nephropathy also depends on baseline renal function before conception. If baseline renal function is normal, mild proteinuria can develop during pregnancy, but it resolves postpartum. One third of cases where baseline microalbuminuria exists will progress to nephrotic-range proteinuria by the end of the pregnancy. Finally, most women who have preconception macroproteinuria (>200 mg/d) will become nephrotic and are at higher risk of developing proliferative retinopathy and preeclampsia.7 Women who have very poor renal function (creatinine clearance < 50 mL/min) should be advised to avoid pregnancy, but could reconsider it after successful renal transplantation.10 It is important to note that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin-receptor blockers should be discontinued before conception, as they have been shown to be fetopathic (eg, intrauterine growth retardation, pulmonary hypoplasia, oligohydramnios).14

Autonomic neuropathies, such as gastroparesis diabeticorum, urinary retention, hypoglycemic unawareness, and orthostatic hypotension, are important to identify before conception, as these conditions can complicate pregnancy. If patients have morning sickness, gastroparesis can result in labile glucose levels and decreased oral intake. If patients are unaware they have hypoglycemia, target glucose levels might have to be more liberal to avoid hypoglycemic reactions.7 Peripheral neuropathy can be exacerbated by pregnancy, especially compartment syndromes (such as carpal tunnel syndrome).6

Hypertension should be treated to maintain systolic blood pressure below 130 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure below 85 mm Hg. Antihypertensive agents safe for pregnancy include methyldopa, clonidine, and ß-blockers (other than atenolol, which has been associated with infants small for gestational age). Hydralazine and labetalol can be used for treating acute severe hypertension.14

Pregnancy planning

Given the consequences of poor glycemic control early in pregnancy, diabetic women of childbearing age should plan their pregnancies. Pregnancy planning implies using contraception until circumstances are ideal to pursue pregnancy. Those thinking of conceiving need to be warned that it can take months of intense effort to adjust diet, exercise, and insulin dosage, in order to obtain ideal metabolic control. Even for those already receiving intensified treatment, further lifestyle changes will be required. Patients could be asked to perform home blood glucose monitoring more frequently throughout the day. Visits to a diabetologist will likely be required.

The choice of contraception while awaiting ideal metabolic control depends mostly on the couple’s preference. Prospective studies evaluating the use of low-dose combination or progestin-only pills among women with type 1 diabetes have shown these medications to have minimal effect on glycemic control.8,10

Preconception clinics

Many studies have looked at the efficacy of structured preconception clinics for women with diabetes. These focused programs are successful in obtaining good glycemic control early in pregnancy and in reducing perinatal mortality and malformation rates.15,16 There is also some evidence that preconception diabetes care can reduce neonatal morbidity, suggested by a reduction in the rate of macrosomia and the rate of admission to neonatal care units.17 Women more likely to plan their pregnancies and seek preconception care are married, are employed, and have higher levels of education and income.18-20 They often have positive relationships with their health care providers. These women indicate having had reassuring and encouraging advice from their physicians before pregnancy.19

Despite the evidence that preconception clinics are effective, they are not always available because of geographic location or health care system limitations. Ideally, family physicians should be able to refer type 1 diabetes patients for the detailed assessment and intensive management they require. Given the nature of their practice, however, family doctors have an early opportunity to initiate preconception discussions with all their type 1 diabetic patients of reproductive age. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to initiate these discussions early on, no matter how apparently remote the chances of the patient’s conceiving appear. Every visit with a diabetic woman can be regarded as a preconception visit.

Conclusion

Family physicians have an important role in the preconception care of patients with type 1 diabetes. Preconception evaluation should include a thorough history, physical examination, and laboratory tests to assess maternal and fetal risks of pregnancy. Counseling should involve discussions of the rate of transmission of diabetes, the effects of pregnancy on maternal and fetal complications, and the role of contraception while awaiting successful control of glycemia. Finally, women with diabetes should be reassured that a planned pregnancy with adequate glycemic control before conception and early during gestation increases the likelihood of a good outcome: a healthy baby and mother.

Competing interests

None declared

Correspondence to: Ellen L. Toth, MD, 362 HMRC, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2S2; telephone (780) 407-6223; fax (780) 407-6702; e-mail ellen.toth@ualberta.ca

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