Glucose turnover and gluconeogenesis during pregnancy in women with and without insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Abstract

Basal glucose turnover and gluconeogenesis are not increased during pregnancy in women without IDDM or in women with well-controlled IDDM. The decrease in the plasma glucose level during pregnancy suggests that the use of glucose by the growing fetus is augmented and that this is not totally compensated for by a rise in postabsorptive hepatic glucose production. The glucose requirement by the growing fetus is probably supplied by the increased postprandial plasma glucose level.