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Becoming Pregnant When You Have Diabetes
You can protect you and your baby by controlling your blood glucose
before and during pregnancy. |
W
omen with diabetes can have healthy babies, but it takes planning ahead
and effort. Pregnancy can make both
high and
low blood glucose levels happen more often. It can make diabetic eye disease
and diabetic kidney disease worse.
High glucose levels during pregnancy are dangerous for the baby, too.
If you don't want to become pregnant, talk with your health care provider
about birth control.
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Protecting Your Baby
and Yourself
Keeping your glucose levels near normal before and during pregnancy can
help protect you and your baby. That's why it's so important to plan your
pregnancies ahead of time.
Your blood glucose and
A1c
records will help you
and your health care team know when your
glucose range is safe for pregnancy.
If you want to have a baby, discuss it with your health care provider.
Work with your diabetes care team to get and keep your blood glucose in
the normal or near-normal range before you become pregnant. Your glucose
records and your
A1c
test results will
show when you have maintained a safe range for a period of time.
You may need to change your meal plan
and your usual physical activity, and you may need to take more frequent
insulin shots. Testing your glucose
several times a day will help you see how well you're balancing things.
shots. Testing your glucose several times a day will help you see how
well you're balancing things. Record the test results in your logbook
or on a log sheet.
Get a complete check of your eyes and kidneys
before you try to become pregnant. Don't smoke, drink alcohol, or use
drugs—doing these things can harm you and your baby.
All women who could become pregnant should get folic acid (400 micrograms)
every day. An easy way to be sure you’re getting enough folic acid
is to take a vitamin with folic acid in it.
Think about breast feeding your baby. Breast feeding has many benefits
for you and your baby.
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Having Diabetes During Pregnancy
Some women have diabetes only when they're pregnant. This condition,
which is called gestational diabetes,
can be controlled just like other kinds of diabetes. Glucose control is
the key. Your health care team can help you take charge of gestational
diabetes.
If you learn you have diabetes when you’re pregnant,
work closely with your health care team to stay healthy.
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Controlling Diabetes for Women's Health
Some women with diabetes may have special problems, such as bladder
infections.
If you have an infection, it needs to be treated right away. Call your
doctor.
Getting Pap smears and mammograms is important to every woman’s
health. |
Some women get yeast infections in their
vagina, especially when their blood
glucose is high. A sign of a yeast infection may be itching in the vagina.
If you notice vaginal itching, tell your health care provider, who can
tell you about medicines you can buy at the drugstore and about how to
prevent yeast infections.
Some women with diabetes may have trouble with sexual function. Discomfort
caused by vaginal itching or dryness can be treated.
Ask your doctor how often you should get a Pap smear and a mammogram
(breast X-ray). Regular Pap smears and mammograms help detect cervical
and breast cancer early. All women—whether or not they have diabetes—need
to have these tests regularly.
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Return to
Take Charge of Your Diabetes — Table of Contents
From the
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Division of Diabetes Translation
September 11, 2003
http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/tcyd/pregnant.htm
This report is also available in Portable Document Format (PDF — 1.5 MB), which offers bookmarks and thumbnails.
(PDF help.)
Also see
managing gestational diabetes: a patient's guide to a healthy pregnancy
what i need to know about gestational diabetes
