3.2.0.0 Insulin Physiology
Early pregnancy is a time of enhanced insulin sensitivity, lower glucose levels, and lower insulin requirements in women with type 1 diabetes. The situation rapidly reverses as insulin resistance increases exponentially during the second and early third trimesters and levels off toward the end of the third trimester. In women with normal pancreatic function, insulin production is sufficient to meet the challenge of this physiological insulin resistance and to maintain normal glucose levels. However, in women with GDM or preexisting diabetes, hyperglycemia occurs if treatment is not adjusted appropriately.