Special care needs to be taken of women who already have diabetes (diabetes mellitus) when they become pregnant as well as of those who develop diabetes during their pregnancy (gestational diabetes).

For those who were already diabetic before their pregnancy there is little reason why their pregnancy should not precede normally, so long as their diabetes remains well-controlled and is constantly and carefully monitored.

In the case of diabetic woman it is ideal for a pregnancy to be a planned one so that the blood-glucose levels can be at their optimum level when the baby is conceived. Otherwise there is a risk that the baby might be mal-formed. Male diabetics need take no special precautions over their blood-sugar levels before conception takes place.

Careful control of blood sugars is required

Careful control over blood-sugar levels is required during pregnancy, otherwise the baby might grow too large because of the amount of glucose in the mother’s blood. This could cause problems during the birth. On the other hand the baby of a diabetic mother might be unusually tiny which could cause problems after its birth.

Gestational Diabetes (diabetes which occurs during pregnancy) is usually found during the second or third trimester when samples of urine are being tested.

In this case the urine is found to contain a higher than normal level of glucose and/or the baby seems larger than normal. However, on their own, neither of these factors means that the mother is necessarily diabetic.

In some cases the mother is not producing sufficient insulin during her pregnancy to keep her blood-sugar levels normal. Mothers are often screened for diabetes 26 weeks into their pregnancy.

Gestational Diabetes vanishes after the birth

Gestational Diabetes vanishes after the birth, but might be an indication that the mother will herself develop diabetes at a later date.

All diabetic pregnancies should be monitored and cared for in a hospital antenatal clinic. Some hospitals will advise diabetic women who wish to become pregnant on the best methods to control their blood-sugar before conception.

During the pregnancy strict control is maintained over blood glucose levels by consulting with both an obstetrician and a specialist in diabetes. This is particularly important as the pregnancy draws to an end. If the baby becomes too large the delivery might be advanced to avoid complications.

There is a 1/100 chance of the baby of a diabetic mother becoming diabetic itself and 1/20 chance if both parents are diabetic.

Please Note:

If you are interested in other ways of living with diabetes, please see our article about Yoga and diabetes.