Quantitation of insulin sensitivity (S,) with the insulin suppression test, glucose clamp, or the minimal model method has been achieved in various clinical circumstances. The application of these techniques to pregnancy has been limited. It is important to utilize sensitive and reproducible methods to study S, changes in pregnancy to fully understand the normal and pathological metabolic alterations that occur during gestation. These techniques demonstrate that various factors (obesity, body fat distribution, age, dietary manipulation, and exercise) may affect S, measures. The various pregnancy hormones have differential effects on insulin action. There is consensus among the limited in vivo studies in human pregnancy that late gestation is associated with significantly impaired S, compared with the nonpregnant state. Studies with appropriate matching between control and gestational diabetic subjects have failed to demonstrate a significant difference in S, between groups in the third trimester.
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December 01 1991
Insulin Sensitivity in Pregnancy
Larry Cousins
Larry Cousins
Sharp Perinatal Center, Sharp Memorial Hospital
San Diego, California
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Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Larry Cousins, Sharp Perinatal Center, Sharp Memorial Hospital, 8010 Frost Street, San Diego, CA 92123
Citation
Larry Cousins; Insulin Sensitivity in Pregnancy. Diabetes 1 December 1991; 40 (Supplement_2): 39–43. https://doi.org/10.2337/diab.40.2.S39
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