A new study released on May 7th by the Auckland City Hospital in New Zealand demonstrates that the common prescription diabetes drug metformin is just as effective in treating gestational diabetes as insulin alone.

The 363 women who received metformin during the course of the study experienced the same side effects as the 370 women who received insulin injections.

Of the women who received metformin, 77 percent said that they would continue to use the drug if they had developed gestational diabetes in another pregnancy.  Of those 77 percent, about 46 needed additional supplemental insulin at some point during the pregnancy.

Of the women who received only insulin shots, 27 percent said that they would continue to use only insulin if they developed subsequent gestational diabetes.

Despite the positive results of this study, the researchers assert that more research needs to be done in order to fully understand the possible side effects of metformin. Doctors need to treat their patients with caution.

Gestational diabetes is a serious condition that affects 20 percent of pregnant women. It can result in serious risks to both the baby and the mother. If not treated properly, gestational diabetes can result in premature labor and birth injuries, which can develop into serious disabilities as the baby grows.

Birth injury attorneys are working on cases in which children have developed cerebral palsy and other serious conditions due to medical negligence.

A recent study conducted by Kaiser Permanente shows that the number of women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes has doubled between 1999 and 2005. Diabetes is a serious disease which can have a dangerous impact on pregnancy.

The study shows that in 1999 the 0.81 percent out of 100 women had a preexisting form of diabetes while pregnant. In 2005, the amount of women with preexisting diabetes jumped to 1.82 per 100 births.

The researchers that conducted the study claim that the rise in diabetes is linked with the rise in obesity. Both obesity and diabetes can lead to serious conditions during pregnancy, leaving the child more susceptible to birth injuries.

Diabetes increases the risk of miscarriage, still birth, birth defects and difficult deliveries. It is very important that a doctor monitors pregnant women with diabetes.

Birth injury attorneys are working on cases in which doctors and hospitals have failed to properly monitor and care for pregnant women with diabetes, resulting in serious birth trauma.  
 

Diane Goslin received a cease and desist order from the state of Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine in August, 2007. She is being charged with practicing medicine and midwifery without a license.

Diane Goslin received her cease and desist order due to the death of an Amish baby that she delivered in 2005, despite the fact that the county coroner determined that the death was not her fault.

A rally was held on her behalf on April 9, 2008. Hundreds of Amish were present who support the custom of midwifery as an alternative to hospital births.

As a certified professional midwife, Diane Goslin does not have the degrees required by the state of Pennsylvania in order to practice midwifery. In the United States, 22 states allow a certified professional midwife to practice without obtaining a nursing degree. New Jersey is included.

Pennsylvania is one of the many states that require midwives to obtain nursing degrees and work in collaboration with obstetricians or other kind of physicians. This requirement is in place in an attempt to prevent serious birth injuries and birth trauma.

Because of the serious risk involved in delivering a child, nurse-midwives are subject to the same restrictions as obstetricians.

Birth injury attorneys are working on cases in which serious trauma during birth has resulted in life-long disability or death.