Dosage of insulin during delivery and the immediate post-partum period in pregnant diabetics.

Several different principles have been presented for treatment of the pregnant diabetic in connection with labor. There is, however, a lack of documentation of blood glucose levels in the immediate post-partum period. On the day of delivery and on the 2 following days, 55 diabetics were given one daily injection of an intermediate-acting insulin, irrespective of the mode of delivery. The amount of insulin given was one-third of the total dose on the day before delivery. From 07.00 hours on the day of delivery, blood-glucose levels were determined every fourth hour for 48 hours. This insulin dosage gave a satisfactory control of glycemia with a low incidence of hypoglycemia and additional insulin was very seldom required.