RETRACTED: Outcome of pregnancy in diabetic women in northeast England and in Norway, 1994-7 (Retracted Article. See vol 327, pg 905, 2003)

In northeast England, perinatal mortality is five times higher and congenital malformation is four times higher for pregnancies in diabetic women than for those in women who do not have diabetes.' The same is true in other regions in the United Kingdom,(2 3) but this is not the case in Norway.(4) Why is the outcome of pregnancy in diabetic women better in Norway? Does Norway use the same definitions and record the same outcome data as the United Kingdom? If the data are standardised will these differences disappear! If not, what is causing the difference in the outcome of pregnancy in diabetic women? The methodology for data collection needs to be standardised between the two countries to determine whether differences in outcome are real before looking for explanations in the healthcare systems of the two countries. We compare the outcome of pregnancy in women with diabetes based on prospective population data collected in Norway and northeast England.