A descriptive study of pregnant women with type 1 diabetes mellitus seen at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital from January 2010 to December 2016

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by chronic hyperglycaemia and disturbances of carbohydrates, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both.¹ The International Diabetes Federation estimates that there are approximately 4.6 million South African adults with diabetes.² Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) accounts for 5% of these cases,1 and complicates 0.2- 0.5% pregnancies.³ The diabetes epidemic is mostly related to the nutritional shift and the metabolic effects and treatment of HIV in this population.⁴