Diabetes and Pregnancy - An Introduction by Elizabeth "Bjay" Woolley (01-28-2006) Are you pregnant and just found out you have diabetes? Do you have diabetes and just found out you are pregnant?

Did you see the movie Steel Magnolias? Julia Roberts played a woman with diabetes who, against all sane advice, dared to mix diabetes and pregnancy.

Her kidneys were overtaxed and she died young leaving her baby behind. Break out the tissues.

While this may have been a common scenario before the 1920's when insulin was introduced, it does not have to be the case today. With tight blood sugar control and good obstetrical care, your chances of having a healthy baby are about the same as for a non-diabetic.

Although you are required to monitor your pregnancy more diligently than most mothers without diabetes, it isn't too difficult to learn how to control your blood glucose.

At first you may feel overwhelmed with information. You may wonder how you will ever read and learn all this information before the baby is born!

Doctors, nurses, and others may talk to you in scolding tones with painfully serious faces while droning out facts and instructions. It can be scary at first.

As you read and learn about what you need to do, it will quickly become apparent that these seemingly complicated instructions are actually quite simple and that most of what you read are just the same concepts rehashed over and over again.

If you are just starting on a diabetes regimen, there will be some trial and error at first as you and your doctor try to find a plan that works for you. You might be discouraged and think it's not possible. However, as you test your blood sugar, observe yourself, follow your diabetes regimen, you will find you can get into tigher control than you ever imagined possible. It CAN be done.

If you visit our forum, you will be able to connect with many diabetic mommies who have done it and are willing to support you.

Diabetes and pregnancy risks:

Don't get me wrong, although successful diabetic pregnancies are more common, you must still be informed of the risks in order to work on lowering them.

According to the American Diabetes Association, pregnant diabetics with type I and II diabetes still have a higher rate of birth defects, complications, and miscarriage. The range of birth defects is 2 to 23 percent and is dependent on blood glucose levels during the first eight weeks of pregnancy when the baby's organs are being formed.

Gestational diabetes generally does not cause birth defects. However, just like type I and II diabetes, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can result in stillbirth, a very large baby (over 10 pounds), breathing difficulties, and increased risk of obesity or diabetes when an adult. If the baby is too large to be delivered vaginally, a cesarean section will be necessary. Low blood sugar in the baby after birth could be caused by the the mother's high blood sugar levels in pregnancy, and could require the baby stay in intensive care. There is also a risk of the baby having a chemical imbalance such as low serum calcium and low serum magnesium levels.

Remember, having diabetes in pregnancy is NOT a guarantee that you will have problems or complications. If you can get your blood sugar into good tight control, your risks are lowered considerably.

Preconception planning for diabetes in pregnancy:

It is best to plan your pregnancy and have your diabetes under control three to six months before becoming pregnant. Work work with your healthcare team to get their official go-ahead before trying to conceive. This way your blood sugar levels can be in good tight control during the critical development period - the first eight weeks.

However, you might not have planned that well. Perhaps you are already past the first eight weeks and your diabetes in not in good control. No matter what stage of pregnancy you are in, you can still try to get into tight control and lower your risks.

It may have a bit of a struggle to get into good tight control while your levels are being effected by pregnancy hormones, but it IS possible. If I could do it, so can you!

My blood sugar levels were not in good control when I got pregnant. When I found out I was pregnant and that I needed to get into tight control, I just forgot about the past, didn't worry about the future, and started working as hard as I could to get into tight control. That was over 5 years ago. I had a sucessful pregnancy, minimal complications, and I am now the proud mama of a healthy preschooler.

Diabetes in pregnancy resources:

There are resources and support for you. Lots of information can be found on the internet. Many insulin makers have excellent sites with great explanations of different types of insulin, diet, exercise, etc. You can participate in online forums (like the Diabetic Mommy forum) and/or email discussions and find support from others who are in the same boat as you.

The most important resource is your professional care team. Your care team should include a doctor (such as an endocrinologist or diabetologist) who specializes in diabetes care and can help you manage your diabetes during pregnancy, an obstetrician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies and knows how to care for pregnant diabetics, a pediatrician who will be ready to handle any problems that may occur in a baby as a result of a diabetic pregnancy, a diabetes educator, and a dietitian.

Your best weapons are tight control, diabetes education, and professional and personal support. I look back now and realize it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and my efforts may have prevented an bad outcome.

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This is not a health care site. The editor is not a health care professional, is not qualified, and does not give medical or mental health advice.

Please consult with qualified professionals in order to find the right regimen and treatment for you. Do not make changes without consulting your health care team. .

Because this site is for all diabetics at all stages of life, some information may not be appropriate for you - remember information may be different for type 1, type 2, type 1.5, and gestational diabetics.

Articles submitted by other authors represent their own views, not necessarily the editor's.

The editor and contributing writers cannot be held responsible in any shape or form for your physical or mental health or that of your child or children. They cannot be held responsible for how any of the information on this site or associated sites affects your life.

The community associated with this site is a sort of self-help support group. Advice or information shared is personal and possibly not optimal for you. It is up to you to use this information as you see fit in conjunction with your medical care team. The results are your own responsibility. Other members or the editor or contributors cannot be held responsible.