Diabetes during pregnancy affects both the health of the mother and the baby, but proper planning can lower those risks. If you have diabetes, you’ll need to check in with your health care provider before, during and after your pregnancy. That way, you can carefully manage your blood sugars before conception and throughout all stages of pregnancy to give you the best chance of having a healthy pregnancy and your baby developing appropriately.
Types of Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that happens when your blood contains too much glucose—the medical term for blood sugar. When your digestive system breaks down food, your blood sugar levels rise. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin to help convert that glucose from food to be used for energy. If you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes as well as it should.
There are two primary types of diabetes. With Type 1 diabetes, your pancreas can’t produce insulin. Usually, this type of diabetes shows up first in children or young adults, but it can sometimes appear as people get older. People with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin every day.
With Type 2 diabetes, your pancreas can make insulin, but it doesn’t make enough, or your body doesn’t use the insulin as well as it is supposed to. Type 2 diabetes is more common than Type 1, and it usually appears in people who are middle-aged or older.
A third type is gestational diabetes which usually develops around the 24th week of a typical 40-week pregnancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2 to 10 percent of American pregnancies a year are affected by gestational diabetes. The condition usually goes away shortly after delivery for most women. However, if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you are at a much higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life.
What Are the Risks of Having Diabetes During Pregnancy?
What happens if you have diabetes and you get pregnant? Diabetes can cause health problems during pregnancy for women and their developing babies. Diabetes can raise the risk of birth defects for the child and cause long-term conditions for the mother, including eye issues and kidney disease—especially if your blood glucose levels are too high. Diabetes also increases the risk of the mother developing preeclampsia, a condition where she develops high blood pressure and too much protein in her urine. This can lead to serious and even fatal complications for both mom and baby.
However, you can have a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby with the right prenatal care. That means assembling a team of professionals, including an obstetrician with experience treating women with diabetes, an endocrinologist, and a dietitian who can help manage your meals as your needs change during and after pregnancy.
Special testing and monitoring of the baby may be needed during pregnancy. For women with gestational diabetes, meal planning and exercise often work to keep blood sugar levels under control.
Planning for Pregnancy
If you are planning to have a baby and you have diabetes, pay attention to your blood glucose levels before you get pregnant. It should be as close to the target range as possible. In addition, take these steps before and during pregnancy to prevent problems:
- Check in first. Before getting pregnant, see your primary care provider to evaluate how diabetes has affected your body. This is a chance to discuss managing your diabetes during pregnancy and change medications, if necessary.
- If you’re overweight, lose some pounds. Obesity is a strong risk factor for diabetes; losing even a few pounds can help with Type 2 diabetes.
- Monitor your blood sugar. Because pregnancy causes the body’s need for energy to change, it’s important to stay on top of blood sugar levels.
- See your health care team often. Regular visits with health care professionals who are experts in diabetes and pregnancy will ensure that you and your baby get the best care.
- If you smoke, stop. Smoking can increase your chance of having a stillborn or premature baby. Plus, smoking can increase diabetes-related health problems. This includes vaping and e-cigarettes.
Otherwise, take your diabetes medications as directed. According to the American Diabetes Association, insulin is the first choice drug for blood sugar control during pregnancy because it is effective at fine-tuning blood sugar and does not cross the placenta into the developing baby’s bloodstream.
Diabetes Care After Delivery
After you’ve delivered your bundle of joy, you still need to be vigilant. Your provider will probably recommend regular diabetes testing for between 4 and 12 weeks after childbirth. You’ll likely continue testing every 1 to 3 years afterward to make sure your blood sugar levels remain healthy.
For those with Type 2 diabetes, lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Losing your baby weight and more pounds if needed while also adopting healthier nutrition choices can help you manage the condition and keep up with that growing baby.
More to Read
- 3 Things to Know About the Importance of Prenatal Care
- When Should You Consider Prenatal Genetic Testing?
- A Modern Method for Measuring A1c
- 5 Diabetes Myths and Facts You Should Know
