Active clinical trials for "Pregnancy in Diabetics"

High-risk pregnancies often require long-term hospitalization or outpatient maternal and/or fetal monitoring, placing a burden on patients, hospital resources and society. The demand for intensified pregnancy surveillance and interventions is increasing, due to the increased prevalence of risk factors like obesity and advanced maternal age, as well as altered guidelines resulting in increasing labor induction rates.The main aims of the HOME study (Home monitoring of pregnancies at risk) are to assess if home monitoring of selected high-risk pregnancies for maternal and fetal wellbeing is feasible, safe (in a clinical trial), cost-efficient, and simultaneously empowers the users.

This study aims to explore: (1) the relationship between lifestyle factors (eating, movement behaviour, sleep and stress) and glycaemic profile, and (2) the feasibility of delivering lifestyle intervention through the proposed mHealth strategy.

Diabetes in pregnancy carries significant pregnancy specific risks and requires frequent glucose monitoring to reduce these risks. This project compares the effect of two incentive schemes on adherence rates of glucose testing in pregnancy.

Diabetic pregnancies are often complicated by placental dysfunction with reduced transfer of oxygen from the mother to the fetus, which may compromise fetal growth and organ development. In diabetic pregnancies, hyperinsulinemia and hyperglycemia very often leads to fetal macrosomia. The combination of reduced placental oxygen transfer and increasing fetal demand due to fetal overgrowth may possess a particular risk of adverse pregnancy outcome. Current methods in the antenatal identification of placental dysfunction relies on estimates of fetal size and fetal wellbeing using ultrasound including Doppler flows measurements. These measurements are only indirect estimates of placental function, as no clinical method exists to assess placental function directly. In diabetic pregnancies, the estimates are further limited due to fetal overgrowth and unreliable Doppler. In addition, in diabetic pregnancies, intrauterine fetal weight estimates by ultrasound are inaccurate because of asymmetric fetal growth. Therefore, new accurate methods to assess placental function, fetal oxygenation and fetal growth in this particular group of high-risk pregnancies is highly needed. Early and precise identification of pathology in diabetes pregnancy may lead to an improved outcome in the offspring, as precise identification of pathology facilitates important obstetric decisions in regards to maternal antidiabetic treatment and timing of delivery. Resent research indicates that MRI is useful for this purpose. It is well described, that preeclampsia is associated with an increased maternal risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. Recent studies suggest, that pregestational subclinical cardiovascular dysfunction, in particular left ventricular dysfunction, may increase the risk of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction during pregnancy. Cardiac MRI is a sensitive method to detect subclinical maternal cardiac dysfunction, which may be used in identification of high-risk pregnancies. In addition, the longitudinal design of this study allows for the investigation of cardiovascular changes during pregnancies in normal pregnancies and pregnancies complicated by diabetes. The overall aim of this study is to improve the antenatal fetal and maternal monitoring in diabetes pregnancies. Early and precise identification of pregnancy pathology provides a better basis for important obstetric decisions regarding antidiabetic treatment, monitoring intervals and timing of delivery, which leads to a better outcome for the mother and offspring. Hypothesis Project A: Placental function and fetal oxygenation in diabetic pregnancies estimated by T2* weighted placental and fetal MRI Aim: To investigate placental function and fetal oxygenation by longitudinal T2* weighted placental MRI and the association with pregnancy complications. Hypothesis: Diabetic pregnancies are characterized by placental hypoxia (low T2* value) Diabetic pregnancies are characterized by fetal hypoxia (low T2* value) Fetal and placental hypoxia is a risk factor of placental related complications in pregnancy such as low birth weight, preterm delivery, acute cesarean sections and preeclampsia. Project B: Fetal growth and the growth of selected fetal organs in diabetic pregnancies estimated by longitudinal MRI volumetry Aim: To investigate growth velocity of the fetus and selected fetal organs and the correlation with pregnancy complications. Hypothesis: Diabetic pregnancies are characterized by accelerated fetal growth in the third trimester Diabetic pregnancies are characterized by asymmetric growth (reduced brain/liver-volume ratio) Abnormal fetal growth is associated with dysregulated maternal diabetes. Abnormal fetal growth is a risk factor of pregnancy complications such as; macrosomia, preterm delivery and acute cesarean sections. Project C: Maternal cardiac function in diabetic pregnancies estimated by MRI Aim: To investigate maternal cardiac function and the correlation with pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Hypothesis: Maternal cardiac function is altered in diabetes pregnancies when compared to normal pregnancies. Impaired cardiac function (left ventricular dysfunction) is a risk factor of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction.

Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a form of diabetes that develops during pregnancy. GDM is associated with increased risks for pregnancy complications such as macrosomia s and preterm delivery. Women with a history of GDM have a high risk to develop a type 2 diabetes (T2DM) within the next ten years after delivery. The children are also at increased risk of developing obesity and T2DM later in life. Studies are needed to find more accurate predictors for the metabolic risk later in life. This will help to individualize the follow-up and to develop tailored prevention strategies in women and offspring with a history of GDM. In this research project we will therefore investigate how the long-term metabolic risk can more accurately be predicted in a follow-up cohort of the 'Belgian Diabetes in Pregnancy study' (BEDIP-N). We will study the relationship between maternal weight, degree of body fat and degree of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy on the long-term metabolic risk of 375 women and offspring pairs 3-7 years after the delivery across different gestational glucose tolerance groups based on the 2013 WHO criteria in pregnancy. In addition, we will study whether a promising new biomarker, glycated CD59, is a good predictor for the long-term metabolic risk.

Examining the expression of telocytes in the placental tissues and umbilical cord of patients with gestational or pregestational diabetes during pregnancy compared to control.

This study will investigate the interplay of different immune cells and placental cells as well as their potential for the development of pregnancy complications. In particular, the translation of the uteroplacental syndrome into a maternal syndrome, considered in the multifactorial pregnancy disorder preeclampsia, will be investigated. Immune cell subtypes are causally involved in the formation and translation of preeclampsia by inducing an endothelial dysfunction which leads to cardiovascular damage.

The first aim of this study is to describe maternal hormonal and inflammatory changes during pregnancy in women that differ metabolically (limited to women with type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes and/or overweight). The second aim of this study is to examine maternal hormonal, inflammatory and metabolic factors associated with insulin sensitivity in human pregnancy.

Babies born to mothers with pregestational diabetes will be screened with parental consent for sacral agenesis

The aim of this study is to describe the metabolic changes during pregnancy in women with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes in order to detect the pathophysiological mechanisms behind severe insulin resistance during pregnancy as well as the short- and long term consequences for mother and child. Included pathophysiological mechanisms potentially associated with severe insulin resistance are: Maternal hormonal, inflammatory and metabolic markers in the blood, as well as the level, content and bioactivity of exosomes and genetic variants associated with overweight and diabetes. In addition to the analysis on maternal blood, the same analysis will be performed on umbilical cord blood in order to determine the correlation between markers associated with insulin sensitivity in maternal and umbilical blood. Furthermore, fetal metabolic changes influence on fetal growth and development will be evaluated. Postpartum, the breast milk will also be examined for metabolic active substances that could influence the newborns growth and metabolism. Investigating one potential short-term consequence of diabetes during pregnancy, the association between insulin resistance and structural and functional changes in the placenta will be examined as well as the consequences of such changes on fetal growth and development. Investigating one potential long-term consequence of diabetes during pregnancy, the association between treatment with high doses of insulin during pregnancy and the future risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and heart failure will be examined.