If you have diabetes and you want to get pregnant, it's important to get and keep your blood-sugar levels under control. Doing this before and during pregnancy increases your chances of having a healthy baby and reduces the chances that you will have medical issues during your pregnancy.
Uncontrolled diabetes during pregnancy increases the chances of the mother having preterm labor; high blood pressure; preeclampsia; gum disease; injury from delivering a too-large baby and worsening of any existing eye, kidney, heart or nerve problems caused by diabetes.
For the baby, it can lead to birth defects of the heart, brain or spinal cord; stillbirth or miscarriage; injury during birth due to being born very big (more than nine pounds); low blood sugar after birth; jaundice and obesity later in life.
To have a healthier pregnancy, plan to get your body ready before you get pregnant, if possible. Work with your healthcare team to create a plan to help you manage your medication, monitor your blood sugar, treat high and low blood sugar, eat healthy foods and stay active. See your doctor regularly.
-Source: The Centeres for Disease Control and Prevention
Good Neighbor Pharmacy Health Connection, October 2013
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