What to expect when you are pregnant and have type II diabetes?

[annsrum 10]

Hi I am new to this forum and also newly diagnosed type II diabetic. I am currently being told to try and control it with diet and exercise until January 2011 and then check my progress.

 

I've been married 3 years and am 36 years old and my husband and I were not sure if we wanted to have children or not and then decided just before my diagnosis that we might like to have one. Then I got diagnosed.

 

I've been poking around reading previous posts and am planning to talk to the doctor about the possibility of having a baby.

 

What do I have to look forward to in this process? I've heard it is very important to have sugars under control before ever attempting pregnancy, but what kind of treatments do they have once you are pregnant? Do you take medicine, use insulin, or what? Is it different from person to person and baby to baby?

 

I just have a lot of questions.

 

Thanks!

[aiah23 11]

Hi I am new to this forum and also newly diagnosed type II diabetic. I am currently being told to try and control it with diet and exercise until January 2011 and then check my progress.

 

I've been married 3 years and am 36 years old and my husband and I were not sure if we wanted to have children or not and then decided just before my diagnosis that we might like to have one. Then I got diagnosed.

 

I've been poking around reading previous posts and am planning to talk to the doctor about the possibility of having a baby.

 

What do I have to look forward to in this process? I've heard it is very important to have sugars under control before ever attempting pregnancy, but what kind of treatments do they have once you are pregnant? Do you take medicine, use insulin, or what? Is it different from person to person and baby to baby?

 

I just have a lot of questions.

 

Thanks!

 

Yes, it can be different person to person but considering you have pre-existing diabetes, you'll most likely end up using insulin toward the end of your pregnancy (if you think you've got some insulin resistance now, just wait until your 3rd trimester; all those growth hormones the placenta kicks out makes even non-insulin resistant diabetics' insulin needs triple or quadruple from pre-pregnancy state). Recommend you find a perinatologist/maternal & fetal specialist in your area and have a pre-conception appt. This will do a lot to ease your fears and make you more prepared prior to TTC'g/pregnancy. Good luck.

 

Fawn

[diaboki 11]

My doctor wanted my A1C to be below 7. It was upper 5s when he cleared me. I'm 5.1 now, and 13 weeks pregnant.

[diaboki 11]

Oh, almost forgot this part. My doctors wanted me off Metformin before TTC and put me on insulin. Apparently they take Metformin routinely during pregnancy in other parts of the world, but it hasn't quite been proven safe in the U.S. yet. So many don't want to take the chance. I get much tighter control with the insulin anyway.