[Insulin requirements of the diabetic woman during pregnancy, labor, delivery and the puerperium (author's transl)].

The author demonstrates - contrary to all existing opinions - that without doubt insulin demand increases very early and relative continually; it stagnates only in the last weeks of pregnancy. Therefore gravid women have a resource of insulin - sufficient to guarantee (for sake of fetus) a constant level of blood-glucose. The author argues, that it may be taken for granted, that above all other hormones human placental lactogen (HPL) is responsible for regulation of carbohydrate metabolism during pregnancy. One of the most important consequences of these results is the necessity, to control the renal insulin demand of pregnant women at brief intervals (not longer than 14 days). That is the most certain way to protect fetus from injury (fetopathia!), caused by anomal high concentration of maternal blood-glucose. Moreover: alteration of insulin demand signal the condition of placenta, thus enabling the physician to act in due time.