Platelet function in pregnancy complicated with diabetes mellitus

ABSTRACT

Thirty pregnant diabetic patients were studied. The average duration of diabetes was four years and the mean blood sugar levels were [fasting = 160 9mg/100ml and two hours postprandial = 220 12mg/100ml]. The platelet count, platelet aggregation and platelet adhesiveness were assayed. The results were compared with twenty normal pregnant women. No significant change of platelet count was found.Ahighly significant increase in platelet aggregation in pregnant diabetics [55] was found compared with normal control cases [41%].Also, a highly significant increase in platelet adhesivenessin diabetics [505%] compared with normal cases [392%] was found.These findings might suggest a hypercoagulable stateinpregnantdiabetics which might explain hypertensive disorders, intrauterine fetal growth retardationandretinopathy that might complicate pregnancy in diabetics.This is the first report dealing with platelet function in pregnant diabetics