Is it safe to fall pregnant whilst diabetic ?

[Kim23]

My husband and I are wanting to have a family in the next couple of years but tbh I am so scared about it, the thought of carrying our child is a wonderful thing to me but all the problems/consquences/end results are just screaming at me. I read in an issue of Diabetes Wellness News last year about pregnancy and Type 1 - after I had read the article I felt ashamed that I was even planning to have a family with being a diabetic!! I know that we have to be told EVERYTHING in detail about the high chances of stillbirth/downs syndrome and miscarriages but jeez they couldn't of put it more bluntly, I find this the case in anything I look for advice on the net. There is a running joke with my work colleagues that soon as I am pregnant I won't be at work for the 9months in case anything harms our baby. Is anyone out there that has had a baby from the age of 24+ and Type 1 for over 15 years to tell me is it THAT scary?? My husband has even said that he would rather I be ok than to go through pregnancy if there is a too high a risk to me.

I just thought that having a baby with your husband who you love to pieces is supposed to be a memoriable time

 

[margie]

Hi Kim

What you need to do is speak to your DSN about what your HbA1C should be, and to see if your clinic runs preconception classes. Also see your GP and ensure you get the high strength folic acid tablets which ideally you should take for at least 3 months before conceiving.

If you read the forums here there are quite a few ladies who are currently pregnant or have recently given birth. I think I was told that if you have a near normal HbA1c the increased risks are small.

Don't let your diabetes make you give up on your dream of children.

 

[Kim23]

Hi Margie,

They've given me a target HbA1C to be 6-7 before we even do anything. I'm having problems atm with my control due to illness but my diabetes team are brilliant in how they help. I don't have much faith in my GP tbh as they have hardly any knowledge of the pump because they told me when I do fall pregnant I can't keep my pump and have to have injections - this horrified my diabetes team. So I trust everything they say so hopefully once they give me the go ahead I can have any help needed. Just want to hear peoples stories of personal experience as to how scary it is with having been Type 1 for 19years I know will play a big part of how well it goes. I know I am young to be thinking of a family but it won't be for a year or so yet.

 

[margie]

Could your diabetes team write to your GP and provide them with some literature of pumps so that they are better informed. They could stress in the letter that there is no reason why a pump should be discontinued during pregnancy. It may help to put you mind at ease if they have been told this.

I am sure that someone will post with their experiences for you.

 

[Steff]

Hi Kim,
If you have a look in the pregnancy section at some of the mums stories from here, it was not easy throughout pregnancy but it may give you some insight into things.xx

 

[MrsCLH]

Hi Kim

You sound so much like me. I thought it was just impossible to have a baby when your diabetic but it really isn't - there are loads of us on here that are doing it right now and doing it well and we're all okay 🙂

I'm 31 and I'm 14+2 at the moment. Like margie said, speak to your DSN and find out if they can refer you to a pre-conception clinic or a diabetes specialist midwife. That's what I did and I felt so much better afterwards. They warned me that it was a huge commitment but they just made me feel like it is possible.

Don't get me wrong, it is scary and it is hard work but you can do it! You can you can!!

If you have any questions ask away. And read through some of the threads on here, there is some really really reassuring stuff. Try this one for starters: http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=16387

Take care

MrsH xx

 

[Copepod]

Go for it, Kim!

While it's right that pregancy and diabetes is more of a challenge than pregnancy without diabetes, pregnancy is a challenge for everyone. WHile I don't want to appear too flippant, remember many babies are conceived while either or both parents have some alcohol in their system and, if either or both have diabetes, with slightly out-of-range blood sugars.

Also, wanted to add - your husband knows and loves you, and will the same with the baby, but baby doesn't exist yet, so that's why he's concentrating on you and your health just now.

 

[Twitchy]

Hi! Just wanted to say it's doable! 🙂 I've had t1 since I was 11 months old - i was 28 when I had my first and 32 when I had my second. Both pregnancies were not what you would call easy, but they are sooooooo worth it! 🙂 I was on mdi at the time but have a pump now, which is much better for control; when I was trying to conceive & pregnant on mdi I have testing & correcting almost obsessively which wasn't good.

Feel free to pm me, but be reassured, it will be hard work but it can be done. Have they put you on the big (5mg?) dose of folic acid?

All the best,

Twitchy x

ps - there should be specialist diabetic antenatal care too, they should monitor you very closely whilst pregnant including checking your eyes in each trimester for retinopathy etc.

 

[Kim23]

Ty all..I am making my way through some of the threads 🙂

Twitchy -I'm not on Folic acid yet as not going to be for a year or so due to I have leg ulcers atm (due to an accident) so I have to wait for those to clear which they are healing fine but ty for your advice, I have taken note.

 

[newbs]

As others have said, it is harder work than for someone who isn't diabetic but very much possible and SO worth the effort on your part once you have your little baby. I had my 2 at the ages of 27 and 31, first pregnancy was relatively easy, second a little harder but nothing was going to put me off being a mummy! 🙂 If it is what you really want then it is totally achieveable with the right help/team.

Hope your legs heal soon.

 

[rachelha]

Hi Kim

I am 36 have had type 1 for 15 years and have a beautiful 7 month old baby. I am not going to pretend it is easy as it is not, but it can be done and is worth all the worry, and effort.

There have been a number of type 1 pregnancys on here recently and are quite a few people pregnant at the moment. Laura22 is actually being induced tomorrow.

You are planning the pregnancy and care about your levels which is a really good first step. Do you know if you have a pre-pregnancy clinic at your hospital? I went to one for about 9 months to help me get my hba1c down before starting to ttc. Once pregnant you will be seen every couple of weeks to help keep an eye on you and the baby.

 

[Catwoman76]

My husband and I are wanting to have a family in the next couple of years but tbh I am so scared about it, the thought of carrying our child is a wonderful thing to me but all the problems/consquences/end results are just screaming at me. I read in an issue of Diabetes Wellness News last year about pregnancy and Type 1 - after I had read the article I felt ashamed that I was even planning to have a family with being a diabetic!! I know that we have to be told EVERYTHING in detail about the high chances of stillbirth/downs syndrome and miscarriages but jeez they couldn't of put it more bluntly, I find this the case in anything I look for advice on the net. There is a running joke with my work colleagues that soon as I am pregnant I won't be at work for the 9months in case anything harms our baby. Is anyone out there that has had a baby from the age of 24+ and Type 1 for over 15 years to tell me is it THAT scary?? My husband has even said that he would rather I be ok than to go through pregnancy if there is a too high a risk to me.

I just thought that having a baby with your husband who you love to pieces is supposed to be a memoriable time

Hi Kim I had my daughter 10 years ago, aged 42 and type 1. The pregnancy went well, no major problems. You just have to keep checking on your blood sugars and the amount of insulin you need.
Don't be put off by scare stories, there are many mums on here and some new ones, who will give you some advice and support.
I did have a miscarraige at 8 weeks pregnant in July 1998, which was very upsetting, but these things happen because of a reason, that's mother nature. I did go on to have my Tia at 33 weeks, but as far as I was told ,it wasn't due to Diabetes. Good luck and best wishes to you Sheena

ps I had type 1 for 11 years when I had Tia( and it IS a memorable time, honestly) x

 

[PhoebeC]

Hi Kim,

Im only 21, and had D 5 years but i now have a 12 week old baby. I thought id never be able to have children.


You know that whole my body is a mess how could i grow a child thing. But a few of us done it.

The pregnancy wasnt fun, and i had pre-eclampsia. But she was totally worth it.

You can do anything you set your mind to and if the drs say its fine then go for it!

xx

 

[Strawberrygirl]

Hi Kim, Just thought I would add to the other posts the girls have sent you.

I'm 30 this year and have had type 1 diabetes for 19 years and I have been using an insulin pump for 1 year.
I now have a perfect little girl who is 2 months old 🙂

Before I became pregnant my hba1c was never below 8%. When I became pregnant it was 8.1% and I had been using the pump for just 4 months. I was told that they like your hba1c between 6-7%.

If you look back at my other posts on here you can see that I was compelety freaking out that there would be complications due to my high sugars but the pregnancy gave me the will power to get them under control and despite a few blips along the way they remained on the whole very good apart from lots of hypos.

I was reassured through regular scans and hospital appointments that everything was ok with baby. The hospital appointments were so often that I became fed up of going towards the end - it takes quite alot of dedication.

I had to finish work at 24 weeks as I work shifts and it was making it difficult to control my sugars.

My baby was born 4 weeks early by c/s due to pre eclampsia and although I was quite poorly for a while after she was very healthy, one night in SCBU to control her sugars was all that was required.

It is scary and by no means easy but it can be done, and all of us on here are testament to that. Go for it and Good luck! xx