Diabetic retinopathy in pregnancy: a 12-year prospective survey.

A prospective study extending over 12 years has surveyed 107 latent diabetics and 172 clinical diabetics during pregnancy. Among the clinical diabetics background retinopathy was evident or developed during pregnancy in 40 cases. Eleven cases showed proliferative changes, only 1 such case appearing de novo during gestation. There was a higher incidence of fetal loss in the diabetic than the latent diabetic group, and this loss was highest in those with proliferative retinal disease. Pregnancy was to associated with any increased risk to the mother of progression of retinal changes and visual loss. The only known direct relationship, namely, that between duration of diabetes and ocular complications, is confirmed.