RT Journal
A1 Wishnofsky M
T1 DIabetes and pregnancy
JF Journal of the American Medical Association
JO Journal of the American Medical Association
YR 1959
FD May 30
VO 170
IS 5
SP 625
OP 625
DO 10.1001/jama.1959.03010050119018
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1959.03010050119018
AB To the Editor:— 
    The editorial in The Journal, Jan. 17, page 258, entitled "Diabetes and Pregnancy" contains the following statement: "A diet for a diabetic-obstetric patient should be given, averaging 30 calories per kilogram of increasing body weight and containing 175 to 250 Gm. of carbohydrate, 2 Gm. of protein per kilogram of body weight, and a sufficient amount of fat to complete the diet." The question concerning protein requirement of the pregnant diabetic merits discussion.A patient who is in caloric equilibrium requires from 0.5 to 0.7 Gm. of protein per kilogram of body weight to maintain nitrogen equilibrium. The protein must be in a readily assimilable form and must contain the essential amino acids in adequate amounts. To provide an increased margin of safety, it is customary to give 1 Gm. of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. The author of the editorial proposes a protein