Pregestational diabetes constitutes a reproductive risk,which requires new treatment strategies. Considering that NeuroEPO, a variant of the recombinant human erythropoietin produced in Cuba,has neuroprotective and hypoglycemic effects,the aim was to evaluate the protective effect of NeuroEPO on the reproduction of diabetic rats.Globally, diabetes mellitus (diabetes) and its complications are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, making it a growing problem for public health and national economies.In Cuba, diabetes has increased in incidence and prevalence and is among the top 10 causes of death at all ages.Pregnant women with pre-gestational diabetes and inadequate glycemic control have a high incidence of abnormalities of embryonic, fetal, and placental development; congenital malformations are common and increase perinatal morbidity and mortality. The mechanisms by which complications occur in the gestation of diabetic women are not fully clarified, but they are related to the pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory intrauterine environment caused by metabolic disorders.  Maternal hyperglycemia is associated with oxidative stress, a hypoxic state of the embryo, and changes in the regulation of apoptotic pathways, all of which alter crucial signaling events during prenatal development, the expression of genes related to morphogenesis, and the integrity of genetic material. 

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a glycoprotein whose primary function is to stimulate erythropoiesis.However, EPO has also been shown to have cytoprotective effects on non-hematopoietic tissues, due to angiogenic,anti-apoptotic,anti-inflammatory,neurotrophic,and antioxidant actions.On the other hand, there is evidence that EPO is expressed early in several of the structures of the embryo  and that it stimulates proliferation and inhibits apoptosis in cells of the decidua and trophoblast,mechanisms necessary for adequate morphogenesis.  In addition,it has been observed that human recombinant EPO (rhuEPO) reduces glycemia in conditions of hyperglycemia, so research has increased on its potential cytoprotective role in diabetes.Activation of EPO receptors in non-hematopoietic tissues requires higher EPO concentrations than are necessary to stimulate erythropoiesis. The high doses of rhuEPO produce adverse effects associated with the stimulation of hematopoietic and pro-coagulant pathways,so derivatives have been developed that enhance cytoprotective effects, without hematopoietic actions.