[The changes in the humoral immune system during pregnancy with diabetes].
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a carbohydrate intolerance of different severity with the onset during the pregnancy. GDM is a complication observed in 1-3% of pregnancies and has an important negative influence on foetal development. However most women with GDM do develop diabetes type 2, gestational diabetes could also be the beginning of a slow-progress towards the clinical onset of diabetes type 1. It is now possible, on the basis of the presence of antibodies directed against pancreatic autoantigens (ICA, GADA, IA-2A, IAA) to detect in the early stage of the autoimmune process leading to development of insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM). In the present review we have summarised actual studies concerning the immune humoral alterations directed against pancreatic B cells in pregnant women with diabetes. We have also discussed the potential clinical implications of the presence of pancreatic autoantibodies in pregnant women with diabetes for the future risk of IDDM.