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Diabetes can impact pregnancy and your baby’s health. It’s important to understand the risks and what must be done to decrease the risk of complications if you are diagnosed with this condition.
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The first situation is when a healthy woman develops diabetes while being pregnant. This is referred to as gestational diabetes. While this is a serious condition which must be managed and monitored, it’s usually not permanent. The mother’s blood sugar levels generally return to normal after the birth of the baby. In some cases, the diabetes doesn’t go away after delivery and becomes type 2 diabetes.
Most of the time, exercise and eating healthy will control gestational diabetes. In some cases, the mother may need to take insulin during her pregnancy. For some women, they may develop diabetes later on in life after having gestational diabetes. The doctor will want to monitor the mother and baby closely throughout the pregnancy with more frequent visits and blood sugar testing to ensure the mother is healthy and the baby is developing normally.
For women who have been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes before they become pregnant, they must also be careful during pregnancy. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes no insulin or such a small amount, the system doesn’t have enough to create energy. This type must be controlled by insulin. Type 2 diabetes also results in not enough blood sugar for energy, but it can be controlled with diet and exercise. Some people diagnosed with this condition still need to take insulin or pills to control their insulin levels.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should talk to your doctor about your desire to have a baby before you become pregnant. The doctor will want to make sure your condition is under control because pregnancy can affect blood sugar levels as well as the medications you take for the diabetes.
The doctor may check for kidney and liver issues, examine your eyes and feet or do a test on your heart. They may also check your cholesterol levels.
If you have issues controlling your blood sugar levels early on in your pregnancy, you have a greater risk of birth defects in your newborn. Levels that are out of control can also increase the risk for miscarriage and other complications.
Ideal blood sugar levels are between 70 and 100 mg/dL before a meal and less than 120 mg/dL two hours after you finish a meal.
Another complication with diabetes is that your baby may be much bigger than normal, which can create problems with delivery. The baby has been creating insulin based on the mother’s high blood sugar, which converts to fat. After the baby is born, their blood sugar levels may drop dramatically. They will need glucose to help it get back to safe levels.
It is possible for a woman with diabetes to carry and deliver a healthy baby, but it’s important to work with your doctor and maintain a healthy lifestyle before and during pregnancy.
The first situation is when a healthy woman develops diabetes while being pregnant. This is referred to as gestational diabetes. While this is a serious condition which must be managed and monitored, it’s usually not permanent. The mother’s blood sugar levels generally return to normal after the birth of the baby. In some cases, the diabetes doesn’t go away after delivery and becomes type 2 diabetes.
Most of the time, exercise and eating healthy will control gestational diabetes. In some cases, the mother may need to take insulin during her pregnancy. For some women, they may develop diabetes later on in life after having gestational diabetes. The doctor will want to monitor the mother and baby closely throughout the pregnancy with more frequent visits and blood sugar testing to ensure the mother is healthy and the baby is developing normally.
For women who have been diagnosed with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes before they become pregnant, they must also be careful during pregnancy. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas makes no insulin or such a small amount, the system doesn’t have enough to create energy. This type must be controlled by insulin. Type 2 diabetes also results in not enough blood sugar for energy, but it can be controlled with diet and exercise. Some people diagnosed with this condition still need to take insulin or pills to control their insulin levels.
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should talk to your doctor about your desire to have a baby before you become pregnant. The doctor will want to make sure your condition is under control because pregnancy can affect blood sugar levels as well as the medications you take for the diabetes.
The doctor may check for kidney and liver issues, examine your eyes and feet or do a test on your heart. They may also check your cholesterol levels.
If you have issues controlling your blood sugar levels early on in your pregnancy, you have a greater risk of birth defects in your newborn. Levels that are out of control can also increase the risk for miscarriage and other complications.
Ideal blood sugar levels are between 70 and 100 mg/dL before a meal and less than 120 mg/dL two hours after you finish a meal.
Another complication with diabetes is that your baby may be much bigger than normal, which can create problems with delivery. The baby has been creating insulin based on the mother’s high blood sugar, which converts to fat. After the baby is born, their blood sugar levels may drop dramatically. They will need glucose to help it get back to safe levels.
It is possible for a woman with diabetes to carry and deliver a healthy baby, but it’s important to work with your doctor and maintain a healthy lifestyle before and during pregnancy.