Comment on “Intrapartum Care for People with Diabetes—Working toward Evidence-Based Management”

We read with great interest the study by Fishel Bartal et al,[1] which investigated prevailing assumptions regarding intrapartum glycemic control in diabetic pregnancies. While the review is timely, given the ongoing clinical ambiguity surrounding maternal glucose management during labor, it raises critical concerns regarding the evidentiary basis and conceptual framing of its conclusions.

From a methodological perspective, the review draws primarily on observational data and retrospective cohorts, yet does not systematically stratify evidence quality using formal hierarchies, such as GRADE or Oxford CEBM levels.[2] This omission limits interpretive rigor and weakens the central thesis that strict glycemic control lacks demonstrable neonatal benefits.

The cited trials used disparate diagnostic thresholds for neonatal hypoglycemia (e.g., <40 vs. <45 mg/dL), divergent insulin infusion algorithms, and inconsistent measurement timing. Moreover, maternal body mass index and antenatal glycemic profiles, both potent modifiers of neonatal glucose homeostasis, are insufficiently controlled across the primary studies reviewed, a critical oversight given the metabolic continuum from gestational to overt type 2 diabetes.[3]

Pathophysiologically, this article underexamines placental nutrient transport dynamics and neonatal counterregulatory hormone responses, both of which modulate postnatal glycemia independent of intrapartum glucose trends.[4] This is conceptually underdeveloped in the framework of the review.

While emerging data suggest a narrower-than-expected impact on neonatal glucose outcomes, such conclusions require prospective validation using standardized glycemic cutoffs, uniform timing of neonatal glucose sampling, and adjustment for feeding practices. In the absence of such controls, the call to liberalize intrapartum glucose management may introduce iatrogenic risk.

In summary, Fishel Bartal et al provided an initial investigation into the evidence gap surrounding intrapartum glycemic thresholds. However, their argument requires bolstering through more rigorous evidence appraisal, biological contextualization, and data harmonization to support meaningful revisions in labor-ward protocols.

Declaration of GenAI Use

During the writing process of this paper, the author(s) used Paperpal and ChatGPT-4o in order to language refinement, grammar enhancement, and stylistic refinement. The author(s) reviewed and edited the text and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the paper.

Publication History

Accepted Manuscript online:
20 June 2025

Article published online:
08 July 2025

• References

• 1 Fishel Bartal M. Intrapartum care for people with diabetes-working towards evidence-based management. Am J Perinatol 2025; 42 (09) 1103-1108
• 2 Richards D. Rating the quality of evidence in evidence-based dentistry. Evid Based Dent 2019; 20 (01) 32-33
• 3 Ahmed R. Long-term impacts of gestational diabetes on maternal and offspring health. Int J Contracept Gynaecol Obstet 2025; 7 (01) 1-6
• 4 Mimouni FB, Khoury JC, Ehrlich S, Rosenn B, Sheffer-Mimouni G, Miodovnik M. Embryonic, fetal, and neonatal complications in infants of diabetic mothers: insights from the Cincinnati Diabetes in Pregnancy Program Project Grant. Am J Perinatol 2025; 42 (04) 420-427