I’ve had a lot of T1D soon to be mamas lately so let’s talk a little bit about planning for pregnancy with type 1…
It is important for women with type 1 to plan for pregnancy to ensure that baby is healthy! I encourage my type 1’s who are sexually active to take steps to prevent unwanted pregnancy, especially if current BGs are not at goal. Don’t be afraid to bring up this topic with your clinician.
Many women with diabetes are scared to bring up pregnancy with their clinicians. Pregnancy with DM is scary, and your clinician may tell you that you’re not medically ready yet. They may also insist that you improve your control before or during pregnancy. This is okay… and perfectly doable! Do not get pregnant and hope for the best. Don’t leave it up to fate. Take control!
You’ll need to get your BG levels and Hba1c to non-diabetic ranges before getting pregnant. This is incredibly difficult because people with T1D typically feel low at “normal” BG levels (60mg/dl for instance).
The standards for BG control change with pregnancy.
Fasting BG goals for non-pregnant T1’s are typically <100mg/dl.
Fasting goals in pregnancy are between 60-90mg/dl.
2-hr post-prandial goals are< 180mg/dl for unpregnant T1D’s
1-hr post-prandial goals for pregnant T1D’s are <115mg/dl.
Because a baby’s organs are developed in the first 8 weeks of pregnancy it is essential that BGs are controlled at this time. Unfortunately, birth defects (heart, kidney, and spinal cord) as well as miscarriages and stillborn babies are more common with T1D mothers.
I hope this doesn’t scare any of you, but instead encourages you to plan and to be proactive. Don’t get discouraged. It will take a lot of hard work and a strong healthcare team, but a healthy baby is 100% possible with type 1 diabetes.
I’m not quite ready for a human baby yet, but here is a picture of our fur babies (they are much older now).
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