If you have diabetes and are thinking about getting pregnant within the next year, there are some important things you need to know and some preparations that you need to make. This is because you and your baby are at higher risk of serious health problems.
The good news is that you can really reduce these risks. The key is to plan your pregnancy carefully and to get good control of your blood glucose before and throughout the pregnancy. So what preparations can you make?
You should contact your practice nurse, GP or your diabetes specialist nurse as soon as you start to think about getting pregnant. They will be able to explain the risks to you and your baby, and help you to prepare.
Your diet, weight and the amount of exercise you take will become even more important both before and during your pregnancy, so start to improve your general level of fitness and the control of your blood glucose as soon as you start to think about getting pregnant.
When you are pregnant it can be difficult to recognise when your blood glucose level is low and it can be hard to manage your blood glucose levels if you feel ill or are sick. As a result you will have to manage your blood glucose levels much more carefully and monitor your levels more often than normal.
Alongside, you will have additional blood tests taken during the pregnancy to check your overall health, your kidneys and diabetic control and will have extra retinal screening. You may also need to change some of your medications. For example, it may be necessary to change blood pressure medications or statins for high cholesterol, and this is best done before you are pregnant.
All women are advised to take Folic acid in pregnancy. We advise a higher dose (5 milligrammes) per day for women with diabetes. This will by prescribed by your GP, and you should start taking this whilst planning the pregnancy, and for the first 3 months once you are pregnant.
Having a baby is hard work if you have diabetes, but having diabetes should not stop you from having babies. Our aim is to help you have a healthy baby and as normal a pregnancy as possible.
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