Maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes

Maternal characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were measured prospectively and recorded in a Diabetes in Pregnancy Clinical Register.²⁰ Maternal variables were age, measured first trimester body mass index (BMI), regional or remote (>100 km from Cairns) residence, self-identified ethnicity, parity, self-reported alcohol use and smoking in pregnancy, medical record of preexisting hypertension, use of metformin and/or insulin, and maximum recorded dose of insulin per day. Pregnancy outcomes were mode of delivery (cesarean section or vaginal birth), preeclampsia, prematurity (<37 weeks of gestation), respiratory distress (requiring oxygen supplementation), and neonatal length of stay in hospital. All babies born to women with T2DM are routinely admitted to the special care unit at our health facility, and so, this was not chosen as an outcome measure.