How To Get Pregnant With Type 1 Diabetes (all The Lifestyle Tips)
Who recognizes the name Lyrehca from the blog Managing the Sweetness Within, chronicling one woman's efforts to get and stay pregnant while dealing with her lifelong type 1 diabetes? Yes, you guessed it: Lyrehca is coming out of the closet as herself, Cheryl Alkon, now-author of the forthcoming book Balancing Pregnancy With Pre-Existing Diabetes: Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby. Today, Lyrehca (er, Cheryl) shares a brief version of her story, and some don't-miss tips on diabetes and pregnancy. A Guest Post by Cheryl Alkon, D-blogger and Author When I first thought about trying to get pregnant, almost five years ago, I did everything I was supposed to do: I stepped up visits to my endocrinologist for pre-pregnancy consults I worked to get my blood sugar numbers into the tight ranges recommended for pregnancy I saw my eye doctor to check my eyes for any longterm damage from diabetes and learned how pregnancy might affect them I ate better and took prenatal vitamins I also looked everywhere for books and websites about the subject and I soon met with the maternal-fetal medicine specialist who worked with my endocrinologist at my hospital's diabetes and pregnancy program. Despite excellent blood sugars, an overall good bill of health, and extensive knowledge about the topic, I left the specialist's office in tears. Why? The doc, also known as a high-risk obstetrician, spent our appointment telling me all the terrible things that could happen in a pregnancy complicated by diabetes. Yes, tight blood sugars were necessary. Without them, the chances of having a pregnancy colored by complications, both for me and for the unborn baby, were high. The visit was a long list of all the potential things that could go wrong, from the pregnancy itself, to actually giving birth, to the health Continue reading >>
Pre-existing Diabetes And Pregnancy
If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are planning a family, you should plan your pregnancy as much as possible. Controlling your blood sugars before conception and throughout pregnancy gives you the best chance of having a trouble-free pregnancy and birth and a healthy baby. If you have diabetes and your pregnancy is unplanned, there’s still plenty you can do to give your baby the best start in life. The information on this page is for women who have diabetes before becoming pregnant. If you develop diabetes during pregnancy, it is called gestational diabetes. Planned pregnancy Visit your doctor or diabetes educator at least 6 months before you start trying to fall pregnant, if you can. You will be given advice and guidance on controlling your blood sugars as tightly as possible, and taking necessary supplements like folate. You may also be advised to change medications. If you are healthy and your diabetes is well controlled when you become pregnant, you have a good a chance of having a normal pregnancy and birth. Diabetes that is not well controlled during pregnancy can affect your health long-term and can also be risky for your baby. Unplanned pregnancy Not everybody can plan their pregnancy. If you have diabetes and think you might be pregnant, see your doctor as soon as you can. Your healthcare team You may be cared for by a team of health professionals including: an obstetrician who can handle high risk pregnancies a specialist experienced in diabetes care during pregnancy, who may be an endocrinologist or who may be a general physician a diabetes educator to help you manage your diabetes a dietician who can provide dietary advice at all the different stages - before conception, while pregnant and after the birth a midwife who is experienced in all aspects Continue reading >>
Can Women With Diabetes Get Pregnant?
Can Women with Diabetes Get Pregnant? Can women with diabetes get pregnant? Diabetes can affect a person without warning and sometimes may even occur without any family history. For a woman of child bearing age, this is stressful as the desire to become a mother and the thought of bringing harm to the child. Although the risks associated with pregnancy in a diabetic woman can’t be ignored, the number of misconceptions is huge and adds to the stress. However, the situation is not as bad as it is made out. Diabetic woman can get pregnant and deliver healthy babies. You just need to take certain precautions to become a mother. The short answer is “Yes”. Since diabetes is a chronic condition, a person is required to take care of their health. Monitoring the sugar levels and keeping them in check is essential. This becomes all the more necessary and important during pregnancy, when your body is undergoing a lot of changes. You should interact more often with your doctor and other healthcare professionals during your pregnancy and try to manage your diabetes as best as you can. This way you can have a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby. How Will Diabetes Affect My Pregnancy? The most commonly seen complications of diabetes are those that affect the kidney, eyes and the nervous system. These are also known as diabetic-nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy respectively. After delivery the symptoms might disappear; however, treatment may be required. Ensure that you inform your doctor about any changes in your body as they can be symptoms of a condition. Common conditions seen among mothers are: urinary tract infection leading to fever. high blood pressure leading to fluid build up. swelling in limbs and face. protein excretion in urine. carpal tunnel syndrome leadi Continue reading >>
Having A Healthy Pregnancy With Type 1 Diabetes
Kerri Sparling was 7 years old when she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She grew up believing that she'd never be able to have children of her own. But by the time she became an adult, significant technological advances in managing the illness gave her hope. With two decades of blood sugar control under her belt, Sparling eventually looked around for models of a healthy pregnancy with type 1 diabetes. Aside from Julia Robert’s character in the movie Steel Magnolia, she didn’t find much. Roberts’ character had type 1 diabetes and successfully carried a child to term, only to die soon after from diabetes complications. “It wasn’t a positive image,” Sparling said. Undaunted by the Hollywood dramatization, Sparling did her own research and, in preparation for pregnancy and with the help of her endocrinologist, worked for more than a year to get her A1C — a standard test to find out average blood sugar levels over several months — below seven. Sparling, now 34, has a 3-year-old daughter and confirms that while type 1 diabetes and pregnancy might be a challenging mix, a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby are both possible. That said, pregnancy demanded a lot more insulin than she was used to taking, and she had to spend the last month of her pregnancy in the hospital with pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnancy) before her 6-pound, 13-ounce baby girl was delivered by Caesarean section. “Pregnancy has a definitive end,” Sparling said. “I felt I could make it through to the end of that. But diabetes goes on and on.” Like Sparling, other diabetic women can get pregnant. But without proper monitoring and extra precautions, the chronic illness puts both the mother and the baby at risk for various complications. Here are some of the important m Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Fertility: How Diabetes Can Affect Your Fertility
You’ve have been trying with no luck to get pregnant and have not been able to a find a reason for your infertility. You may have tried a fertility cleanse, begun eating a fertility diet, and are taking all the right supplements and herbs, but are still having trouble conceiving. It may be time to have a simple blood test to determine if your glucose levels are too high. With the rates of Type II diabetes rising every year in the U.S., more and more infertility specialists are looking toward this health issue as a main cause of some otherwise unexplained infertility cases they see. According to the American Diabetes Association, there are more than 200,000 new cases of Type II diabetes diagnosed every year, with another 2.4% of the general childbearing population suffering from the disease but not knowing it. When it comes to diabetes and infertility the answer is clear: there is a connection. No, in many cases (especially among women), diabetes alone does not keep them from getting pregnant, but it oftentimes keeps them from staying pregnant. In many cases, say fertility doctors, “a woman with higher than normal glucose levels does get pregnant month after month. Unfortunately her diabetes status prevents that embryo from implanting in the uterus, causing a miscarriage before she ever realizes she is pregnant.” In this case, the diabetes isn’t preventing conception, but is preventing an ongoing pregnancy. High glucose levels are reported to increase a woman’s chances of miscarriage by 30-60% according to statistics released by the American Diabetes Association. Even when implantation does occur, there are other risks to consider, including: An increased risk of birth defects due to damage caused to embryonic cells form the high levels of glucose in the blood Continue reading >>
Preexisting Diabetes And Planning Pregnancy
Preexisting Diabetes and Planning Pregnancy Preexisting Diabetes and Planning Pregnancy What You Should Do If You Have Diabetes and Want to Get Pregnant By Elizabeth Woolley | Reviewed by Richard N. Fogoros, MD Jose Luis Palaez/Blend Images/Getty Images Many people believe that getting pregnant when they already have diabetes is not possible because of the struggles women in the past may have faced, which preceded more modern treatments, monitoring tools, and knowledge. Today, however, being diabetic does not mean that your pregnancy is destined for struggle, complications, or miscarriage . That said, you do need to be proactive in your diabetes care prior to pregnancy to optimize you and your baby's health and prevent possible complications, like birth defects. Pregnancy Risks for Women With Preexisting Diabetes If you want to "try," it's strongly recommended that you get blood sugar levels under control three to six months before trying to conceive. This is because there are potential risks to you and your baby if your blood glucose levels are high. For your baby, these risks include: miscarriage, premature birth , and birth defects , especially when blood glucose levels are high during the first trimester. This is why it's critical to get your diabetes under control before conceivingyou may not even realize you are pregnant by the time your baby's organs are formed (by 7 weeks). Other potential risks include low blood glucose in your baby at birth, a large baby, and a baby born with difficulty breathing or yellowing of the skin ( jaundice ). There are also risks to you as a mother being pregnant and having diabetes like worsening of your diabetes-related eye or kidney conditions, and a greater risk for having infections, like urinary tract infections, Another concer Continue reading >>
Pregnancy If You Have Diabetes
If you have diabetes and plan to have a baby, you should try to get your blood glucose levels close to your target range before you get pregnant. Staying in your target range during pregnancy, which may be different than when you aren’t pregnant, is also important. High blood glucose, also called blood sugar, can harm your baby during the first weeks of pregnancy, even before you know you are pregnant. If you have diabetes and are already pregnant, see your doctor as soon as possible to make a plan to manage your diabetes. Working with your health care team and following your diabetes management plan can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. If you develop diabetes for the first time while you are pregnant, you have gestational diabetes. How can diabetes affect my baby? A baby’s organs, such as the brain, heart, kidneys, and lungs, start forming during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. High blood glucose levels can be harmful during this early stage and can increase the chance that your baby will have birth defects, such as heart defects or defects of the brain or spine. High blood glucose levels during pregnancy can also increase the chance that your baby will be born too early, weigh too much, or have breathing problems or low blood glucose right after birth. High blood glucose also can increase the chance that you will have a miscarriage or a stillborn baby.1 Stillborn means the baby dies in the womb during the second half of pregnancy. How can my diabetes affect me during pregnancy? Hormonal and other changes in your body during pregnancy affect your blood glucose levels, so you might need to change how you manage your diabetes. Even if you’ve had diabetes for years, you may need to change your meal plan, physical activity routine, and medicines. Continue reading >>
I Have Diabetes. What Do I Need To Know Before I Get Pregnant?
Getting your diabetes under control before you try to conceive can make a huge difference in the outcome of your pregnancy. Before insulin, diabetic women were rarely able to have successful pregnancies, and about 65 percent of babies died in utero or shortly after birth. This statistic has fallen over the years to less than 2 percent, so that when diabetes is un ununder control during pregnancy, the risk of pregnancy loss is not much higher than for non-diabetic pregnancies. Unfortunately, birth defects are still two to four times more common in diabetic pregnancies. We don't know for certain why that is, but it's probably largely due to abnormal blood glucose levels – those that are constantly outside the normal range as well as those that fluctuate in and out significantly. Since the majority of heart, kidney, and central nervous system birth defects start during the first seven weeks of pregnancy, it's critical to get your blood glucose level under control before conception and keep it under control throughout your pregnancy. It may help to get counseling before you get pregnant. Studies have shown that the rate of birth defects decreases from 10 percent to about 1 percent if an expectant mom gets help. To do all you can to prevent birth defects (as well as miscarriage and stillbirth), follow this strategy: Aim to achieve normal glycosolated hemoglobin levels (an indicator of blood sugar control) before conception, and then manage your diet carefully and monitor your glucose levels frequently. Keeping your glucose levels in check can help prevent other problems for your baby, such as preterm birth, weighing too much at birth, or having low blood glucose right after birth. Depending on what diabetes medication you're using, your doctor may need you to switch to one Continue reading >>
Preparing For Pregnancy When You Have Diabetes
Pregnancy and diabetes doesn't have to be a risky combination. By preparing for pregnancy, you can boost the odds of delivering a healthy baby. Here's how. If you have diabetes — either type 1 or type 2 — and you're thinking about having a baby, you might be concerned about the risks. To put your mind at ease, start preparing. Controlling your blood sugar level and making healthy lifestyle choices before pregnancy can help you give your baby the healthiest start. Start with a checkup The first step in preparing for pregnancy is to talk to your health care provider. He or she might recommend: Changing medications. If you take oral diabetes medication, you might need to switch to a medication that is safer for use in pregnancy or make other changes to your diabetes treatment plan before you conceive. If you also have high blood pressure (hypertension), your blood pressure medications will need to be reviewed. Certain medications to treat high blood pressure — aren't recommended during pregnancy. Treatment for certain conditions. If you have high blood pressure or signs of heart, eye, nerve or kidney disease — or other diabetes complications that could be aggravated by pregnancy — preparing for pregnancy might include treatment for the condition before conception. Consulting with specialists. Your health care provider might suggest scheduling preconception appointments with an obstetrician, a diabetes educator, a registered dietitian or other specialists. Focus on blood sugar control Controlling your blood sugar level is the best way to prevent diabetes complications. When you're preparing for pregnancy, blood sugar control is more important than ever. Your health care provider might want you to reach a specific hemoglobin A1C level — a reflection of your blood Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Fertility: How Diabetes Can Affect Your Fertility
Diabetes and Fertility: How Diabetes Can Affect Your Fertility Home Uncategorized Diabetes and Fertility: How Diabetes Can Affect Your Fertility Diabetes and Fertility: How Diabetes Can Affect Your Fertility Youve have been trying with no luck to get pregnant and have not been able to a find a reason for your infertility. You may have tried a fertility cleanse , begun eating a fertility diet, and are taking all the right supplements and herbs, but are still having trouble conceiving. It may be time to have a simple blood test to determine if your glucose levels are too high. With the rates of Type II diabetes rising every year in the U.S., more and more infertility specialists are looking toward this health issue as a main cause of some otherwise unexplained infertility cases they see. According to the American Diabetes Association, there are more than 200,000 new cases of Type II diabetes diagnosed every year, with another 2.4% of the general childbearing population suffering from the disease but not knowing it. When it comes to diabetes and infertility the answer is clear: there is a connection, unless you factor in the metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).. No, in many cases (especially among women), diabetes alone does not necessarily keep them from getting pregnant, but it oftentimes keeps them from staying pregnant especially if their glucose control is poor and theyve had the disease for a long time. In many cases, say fertility doctors, a woman with higher than normal glucose levels can get pregnant month after month. Unfortunately her diabetes status prevents that embryo from implanting in the uterus, causing a miscarriage before she ever realizes she is pregnant. In this case, the diabetes isnt preventing conception, but is preventing an Continue reading >>
Planning A Pregnancy With Type 1 Or 2 Diabetes
Why it’s so important to plan my pregnancy? If you have type 1 or 2 diabetes, you need to be as healthy as possible before you conceive, and while you are pregnant. All pregnancies come with risks, but if you have type 1 or 2 diabetes, your level of risk is higher, for the baby and for you. You can’t avoid these risks completely, but there are a lot of things you can do to reduce them. "Right from when I was diagnosed, my diabetes team said to me ‘If you're ever thinking of having a family, you need to let us know because there are special things you have to do." Preparing for pregnancy with type 1 or 2 diabetes… If you are not yet pregnant, talk to your GP or diabetes team. They may have enough expertise themselves, or they may refer you to a specialist pre-conception care team. There are a number of steps you can take before conception that will give you the best possible chance of having a healthy pregnancy. They will explain these steps to you and your partner or family member. Step 1: Get your HbA1C to the recommended level Your HbA1C gives your average blood glucose level for the previous 2-3 months. It is thought that the closer it is to your ideal level (your healthcare team will be able to tell you what this is), the lower the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. If your levels are too far above the ideal level, your team will encourage you to manage your blood glucose more tightly and then re-test every month until you reach the recommended levels before you actually try to conceive. If your HbA1C is very high (above 86 mmol/mol) you are strongly recommended to avoid getting pregnant until you can reduce the levels, as this will reduce the risk of miscarriage, and of your baby dying before, during or after the time of birth. Step 2: Check your blood gluc Continue reading >>
I Have Gestational Diabetes. How Will It Affect My Baby?
Will gestational diabetes hurt my baby? Most women who develop diabetes during pregnancy go on to have a healthy baby. Dietary changes and exercise may be enough to keep blood sugar (glucose) levels under control, though sometimes you may also need to take medication. But untreated gestational diabetes can cause serious problems. If blood sugar levels remain elevated, too much glucose ends up in the baby's blood. When that happens, the baby's pancreas needs to produce more insulin to process the extra sugar. Too much blood sugar and insulin can make a baby put on extra weight, which is stored as fat. This can make the baby grow very large (macrosomia). Also, high blood sugar levels during pregnancy and labor increase the risk of a baby developing low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) after delivery. That's because the baby's body produces extra insulin in response to the mother's excess glucose. Insulin lowers the amount of sugar in the blood. The signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia in an infant include: jitteriness weak or high-pitched cry floppiness lethargy or sleepiness breathing problems skin that looks blue trouble feeding eye rolling seizures A baby may also be at higher risk for breathing problems at birth, especially if blood sugar levels aren't well controlled or the baby is delivered early. (If you have gestational diabetes, your baby's lungs tend to mature a bit later). The risk of newborn jaundice is higher too. If your blood sugar control is especially poor, the baby's heart function could be affected as well, which can contribute to breathing problems. Gestational diabetes sometimes thickens a baby's heart muscle (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy), causing the baby to breathe rapidly and not be able to get enough oxygen from her blood. It's understandable to feel anxi Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Pregnancy
Diabetes and your unborn baby Diabetes is a condition in which the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood is too high. Glucose comes from the digestion of starchy foods, such as bread and rice. Insulin, a hormone produced by your pancreas, helps your body to use glucose for energy. Three types of diabetes can affect you when you're pregnant: type 2 diabetes – long-term conditions that women may have before they get pregnant (pre-existing diabetes) gestational diabetes – develops only in pregnancy and goes away after the baby is born The information on this page is for women who have pre-existing diabetes in pregnancy. Most women with diabetes have a healthy baby, but diabetes does give you a higher risk of some complications. If you already have diabetes If you already have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, you may be at a higher risk of: having a large baby – which increases the risk of a difficult birth, having your labour induced, or a caesarean section People with type 1 diabetes may develop problems with their eyes (diabetic retinopathy) and their kidneys (diabetic nephropathy), or existing problems may get worse. If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, your baby may be at risk of: not developing normally and having congenital abnormalities, particularly heart and nervous system abnormalities being stillborn or dying soon after birth having health problems shortly after birth, such as heart and breathing problems, and needing hospital care developing obesity or diabetes later in life Reducing the risks if you have pre-existing diabetes The best way to reduce the risk to your own and your baby's health is to ensure your diabetes is controlled before you become pregnant. Ask your GP or diabetes specialist (diabetologist) for advice. You should be referred to a diabetic Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Pregnancy
If you have diabetes or prediabetes and you want a child, can you do it? What will you be getting yourself into? If you’re considering children, here are some things you should know. Pregnancy in diabetes carries serious risks to mother and child. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says that women with poor diabetes control are at greater risk for birth defects and also miscarriage. Your baby’s organs are completely formed by seven weeks after your last period. That time may be up before you realize you are pregnant. High glucose levels can damage those developing organs. So it’s important, says ADA, to get glucose levels under control before getting pregnant. Doctors recommend three to six months of very good control before trying to conceive. If you have high glucose levels, you may not get pregnant at all. You may conceive normally, but the fertilized egg won’t attach to the uterine lining. Not getting pregnant may be better than pregnancy with out of control diabetes. The ADA lists some common complications for babies of mothers with diabetes. • Three to four times greater risk of birth defects such as heart, brain, and spinal defects, oral clefts, kidney defects, and gastrointestinal problems. • Premature delivery • Miscarriage • Prolonged jaundice (yellowing of the skin) • Respiratory distress (difficulty breathing) The mother faces her own risks. Diabetic eye and kidney problems could get worse. She is at higher-than-normal risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure, often with protein in the urine), which can be life-threatening. Delivery may be difficult or may require a C-section. Prediabetes pregnancy also risky If you have prediabetes, pregnancy could push you over the line into diabetes. This is called “gestational diabetes.” It ca Continue reading >>
Type 1 Or Type 2 Diabetes And Pregnancy
Problems of Diabetes in Pregnancy Blood sugar that is not well controlled in a pregnant woman with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes could lead to problems for the woman and the baby: Birth Defects The organs of the baby form during the first two months of pregnancy, often before a woman knows that she is pregnant. Blood sugar that is not in control can affect those organs while they are being formed and cause serious birth defects in the developing baby, such as those of the brain, spine, and heart. Download Chart[PDF – 167KB] An Extra Large Baby Diabetes that is not well controlled causes the baby’s blood sugar to be high. The baby is “overfed” and grows extra large. Besides causing discomfort to the woman during the last few months of pregnancy, an extra large baby can lead to problems during delivery for both the mother and the baby. The mother might need a C-Section to deliver the baby. The baby can be born with nerve damage due to pressure on the shoulder during delivery. C- Section (Cesarean Section) A C-section is a surgery to deliver the baby through the mother’s belly. A woman who has diabetes that is not well controlled has a higher chance of needing a C-section to deliver the baby. When the baby is delivered by a C-section, it takes longer for the woman to recover from childbirth. High Blood Pressure (Preeclampsia) When a pregnant woman has high blood pressure, protein in her urine, and often swelling in fingers and toes that doesn’t go away, she might have preeclampsia. It is a serious problem that needs to be watched closely and managed by her doctor. High blood pressure can cause harm to both the woman and her unborn baby. It might lead to the baby being born early and also could cause seizures or a stroke (a blood clot or a bleed in the brain that ca Continue reading >>
