Diabetic - pregnancy issues

[d_gal]

Hi,
I have been a diabetic for 21 years of my life (diagonosed at age 3) and I am thinking of a marriage now. However, I have worries about complications during pregnancy. I would like to know that can diabetics give birth to normal & healthy babies? What do you suggest and advice on daily plans, excercise, and hba1c control? How critical is it for us (me & my partnet) to have a planned pregnancy? Please give us some feedback and will appreciate the same.
Thanks.

- P

[JDRF-Team-sgg]

Yes, diabetics can and usually DO have normal and healthy babies. I am a type 1 diabetic since childhood and I have two healthy children. If a diabetic woman keeps her glucose levels tightly controlled, pregnancy is usually uneventful.

Any risks would be if you let your glucose levels go high and remain high. This can cause damage to you, as you know, and the baby is at risk of damage if glucose levels are uncontrolled, especially during the first trimester when initial development is happening, and during the last trimester when the placenta needs to be well-nourished by the small blood vessels in your body in order to sutain the larger unborn baby.

Most doctors now recommend that their diabetic patients try to have good glucose control for a period of about 3 months before getting pregnant. There is no magic reason for this 3-month good control other than in 3 months, you have not only developed good habits, but your body is optimally healthy if your glucose control has been good during that time. Your own doctor can tell you what a1c he wants to see you maintain, but you certainly should be below 7 in order to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

I want to suggest that you go to the www.jdrf.org website and click on the Online Diabetes Support Team link. Send us a note saying that you would like to communicate with one of our volunteers about pregnancy, and you will be matched up with someone like me who has been there and done that. Then you and the volunteer can communicate privately and more in detail about your concerns, and the volunteer can "walk" with you through a pregnancy if you do decide to have a baby.

There is no substitute for a good doctor's advice, but sometimes our fears are best put to rest by peers who have been through what we are concerned about. I wish you the very best luck. I have no regrets at all about becoming  a mom, and I wish you the same good experience.

[Christina McCurdy]

I am 23 years old and have had Type I diabetes for 19 years.  I recently had my first son and had alot of the same ideas and feelings you have.  My son was born at 30 weeks due to toxemia.  The diabetes makes it easier to get toxemia (high BP during pregnancy) and on Tuesday, my dr said i have kidney problems.  The pregnancy was overall wonderful and i would do it again in a heartbeat.  But now, i have to face kidney problems.  i am debating now whether or not to have a tubal, i know i want more kids, but each child takes me closer and closer to dialysis.  You CAN have a safe pregnancy, but the A1C needs to be around 5.  Good Luck!!!

[d_gal]

Thanks Christina.

Your reply was a good help for me to think about pregnancy issues that I am still trying to reconcile.

Can you brief me more about the kidney problems that you are facing? I have read that these problems are reversible? Is it true? Also, that high BP affects the smooth-functioning of the kidney, however, if detected at early stages these problems are reversible. Can Medhelp please advice me on this issue.

How did you manage to have an hba1c of 5? I must say its excellent control... Are you insulin dependent or do use pump/s?

Thanks in advance for your forth-coming reply.

[Christina McCurdy]

Sorry it has taken me so long to respond.  I sincerely apologize.  I only work on Mon, Wed and Fri, and even then sometimes dont get to check here.  We dont know quite yet how badly my kindeys are affected, i go back to endo on the 12, i will update you then.  Endo did say that kidney damage is irreversible.  I can try and prevent further damage, but the damage already done cannot be repaired.  I might start spilling less protein after a while, but the damage is there for good.  I did not have any type of hypertension before pregnancy, BP stayed around 110/70 most of the time, til 26th week of pregnancy.  
As far as the A1c, i checked my bloodsugars literally every 3 hours.  It was very difficult, especially since i was not a very compliant diabetic.  I did not test as often as i should have and all, but the pregnancy made me do it, cause i had another life inside me.  I hate to admit it now...but my son is 8 months old and my A1c is once again 9.2.  I am working on that now.  I am insulin dependent.  
I will try and remember to update you on May 13, after my appts.  My e-mail addy is ***@**** if you want to talk directly or if i forget to re-post.  Good Luck!!
One other thing, my pregnancy was not planned.  in fact, we went to the endo in january to discuss getting pregnant, and he said i needed to wait until late summer so we could check everything out, and I took the test on March 1, so technically, it was not planned.  Planning is VERY important to your health as a diabetic and to the baby.  I can only tell you what i have gone through and what i am going through, only your dr. knows your individual situation and can tell you what you need to do.  I look forward to keeping in touch with you.  
Christina