ALLOXAN DIABETES AND PREGNANCY: A LONG-TERM OBSERVATION

Reports on the fertility rate and the outcome of pregnancy in alloxan diabetic rats are conflicting. In part this is due to the differing conditions of the experiments, some authors having induced diabetes before pregnancy [Davis, Fugo & Lawrence, 1947], others after conception [Miller, 1947]. In general, observations have been limited to animals which had only recently been made diabetic, and, as such, are open to the objection that alloxan diabetes in its early stages may fluctuate markedly in severity. It therefore seemed of importance to study female rats with long-standing diabetes, particularly in respect to fertility rate and outcome of pregnancy. Human diabetic pregnancy results in delivery of large babies and a high late foetal and neonatal mortality. The outcome of pregnancy in the alloxan diabetic animal has therefore been studied particularly from these two aspects. The problem of high foetal loss has already been the subject of discussion