Pregnancy-associated fulminant type 1 diabetes: a case report and review of the literature

Pregnancy-associated fulminant type 1 diabetes (PF) has received high clinical attention because of its low incidence and poor prognosis. It poses a great threat to the lives of mothers and infants; therefore, it is imperative to understand its characteristics and approach methods. However, no studies have described whether a cesarean section or conservative treatment should be considered at the onset of PF. We report a case of PF, review the published literature and consider a cesarean section at the onset of PF. A 39-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea and nausea. The patient was diagnosed with PF. Insulin Lispro and Glargine were administered to control the blood glucose levels. Six hours later, the fetus died. The fetal status due to PF probably worsened during the conservative treatment. No perioperative complications have been reported for cesarean sections under diabetic ketoacidosis due to PF and there have been cases of live birth by emergency cesarean section. Identifying the features of PF and considering and performing cesarean sections early after diagnosis is essential to save fetal life.