Cerebral autoregulation in pregnancies complicated by diabetes and overweight

Aim: The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of diabetes and obesity on cerebral autoregulation in pregnancy.

Methods: Cerebral autoregulation was evaluated in women with gestational diabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus and/or overweight (body mass index >= 25kgm(-2)) and compared to a cohort of euglycaemic pregnant women. The autoregulation index was calculated using simultaneously recorded cerebral blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery and blood pressure. Autoregulation index values of 0 and 9 indicate absent and perfect autoregulation, respectively.

Results: Autoregulation index in women with either diabetes (n=33, 6.6 +/- 1.1) or overweight (n=21, 6.7 +/- 0.6) was not significantly different to that in control patients (n=23, 6.6 +/- 0.8, p=0.96).

Conclusion: Cerebral autoregulation is not impaired in pregnant women who have non-vasculopathic diabetes or overweight. This suggests that the increased risk of pre-eclampsia in diabetic and overweight women is not associated with early impaired cerebral autoregulation.