Experimental diabetes Archives - Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia

Fetal and placental effects of insulin therapy on pregnancy of diabetic rats were studied. Alloxan was administered intravenously at the dose of 42 mg/kg of body weight. Five experimental groups were formed: control (G1, n=12), non-treated rats with moderate diabetes (G2, n=10), insulin-treated rats with moderate diabetes (G3, n=11),non-treated rats with severe diabetes (G4, n=12) and insulin-treated rats with severe diabetes (G5, n=10). Six hundred and thirty-four newborn rats and placentas wereprocured. The perinatal result of insulin therapy was directly related to the quality of glycemia control. Thus, inadequate control of moderate diabetes produced levels of moderate hyperglycemia, did not interfere with the newborn rats' body weight and decreased the proportion of LGA newborn rats. Adequate control of severe diabetes brought the newborn rat glycemia to normal levels, increased the newborn rats' body weight and decreased the proportion of SGA newborn rats. Adequate insulin therapy for severe diabetes diminished the weight of the placentas, but did not change the placental index.