[Diabetus mellitus and pregnancy].

OBJECTIVE: The evaluation of diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study regarding 16 pregnant patients, with type 1 diabetes mellitus and variable retinal changes before the pregnancy: without retinal changes (5 cases), minimal diabetic retinopathy (7 cases), severe diabetic retinopathy (3 cases), proliferative diabetic retinopathy with panphotocoagulation before the pregnancy (1 case). The patients had a complete general and ocular investigation.

RESULTS: The patients without retinal changes were not influenced by pregnancy; the patients with minimal changes presented an aggravation of the diabetic retinopathy with an amelioration post-partum in 3 from the 7 cases; the patients with severe diabetic retinopathy suffered an aggravation in 1 from the 3 cases; the patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy with panphotocoagulation before the pregnancy did not present any important changes during pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS: The pregnancy represents a risk factor in the evolution of retinal changes in diabetic patients. The monitoring of the retinal changes and of the patients during the pregnancy is strongly recommended.