Managing Your Diabetes During Pregnancy


It is indeed possible to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby if you have diabetes. Because of the potential for complications to arise, however, your doctor will likely consider your pregnancy high risk. A high risk pregnancy can sound scary, but by educating yourself on the proper steps to take as a pregnant diabetic woman, you can minimize the risks to yourself and to your baby.

One of the most important things you can do is to carefully monitor your blood sugar levels. Check your sugar levels at least four times a day. Although you may be quite used to managing your diabetes, your pregnancy will cause many changes in your body, and you will likely need to modify how you handle your diabetes accordingly. High blood sugar levels while pregnant can cause numerous complications during pregnancy. Your child, for example, will have a greater risk of being born premature, which in and of itself carries with it a whole host of complications, or being born stillborn. You yourself are at greater risk for kidney disease and heart disease. These risks can be dramatically lessened if you make sure that your sugar levels do not get too high. Make sure that your significant other and those who spend time with you also know how to test your sugar levels in the event that you are unable to do so. Share with them some of the symptoms of high and low sugar levels.

Make sure you see your doctor regularly. This is important for any pregnant woman, but especially for women with diabetes. Your doctor will want to run extra tests as a result of your diabetes, and you will want to keep your health care team informed about what's going on with you. As long as you regularly see your health care team and follow their suggestions for a healthy pregnancy, you will find yourself at a much lower risk for diabetes-related complications during your pregnancy.

If you are not yet pregnant but are considering getting pregnant, it is important to make sure that your diabetes is under control before you attempt to get pregnant. Ideally, your diabetes will be under control for at least three months prior to pregnancy for the best health outcomes for you and your child. Make an appointment with your doctor just to get a general check up; now is the time to address any health problems you may have.  Your doctor can tell you which medications you can stay on during pregnancy and which ones are best to quit. If you do not already have a obstetrician-gynecologist, try to find one who has experience working with women who have diabetes.

As a diabetic woman, your pregnancy will require a little extra caution than other pregnancies, and you will need to do several additional things because of your condition. By making the healthiest decisions regarding your diabetes, you are helping to give your child the best chance of a healthy and safe in-utero experience.