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Research Article

Obstetric history of diabetics: its relevance to the aetiology of diabetes.

Br Med J 1979; 1 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.6174.1303 (Published 19 May 1979) Cite this as: Br Med J 1979;1:1303
  1. J M Steel,
  2. R S Gray,
  3. B F Clarke

    Abstract

    The birth weights of infants born to patients with insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD) and insulin-independent diabetes (IID) before the disease was diagnosed were compared. An appreciable excess of infants above the 90th centile for weight was found, the proportions being 27% of infants born to mothers with IDD and 30% of those born to mothers with IID. These findings suggest that many patients with both types of diabetes have a prolonged period of metabolic abnormality before overt symptoms of diabetes arise and that the apparent acute onset of the disease in patients who are insulin dependent is illusory.

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