Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes
2017-02-09
Over 130 million women give birth each year and for women with type 1 diabetes, while the risks and challenges are of course magnified, the reality is that you can absolutely successfully navigate the before and after phases of pregnancy. At Beyond Type 1, you’ll find resources for each stage of your pregnancy and whatever risks you may face along the way.
Having a community of women with type 1 diabetes who understands the ups and downs of pregnancy is invaluable. Join the Pregnancy + Type 1 group for pregnant women with type 1 diabetes (T1D) on the Beyond Type 1 app for additional support.
Clinical Information
BEFORE & DURING PREGNANCY
Pregnancy Overview — Before and After
Type 1 pregnancy. The resources are not robust and in many cases you will have to be your own advocate — you will have to fight to maintain control of BGLs.MORE
Type 1 Pregnancy Risks and How to Minimize Them
All pregnancies have the chance for complications, but having type 1 makes you more susceptible to specific ones. These are the pregnancy risks to know.MORE
Books on Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes
Books to guide people with type 1 diabetes throughout every step of preparing, pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum...MORE
How Your Menstrual Cycle Can Affect Your Diabetes
Frustrated by sudden swings in your blood sugar right before your period starts? Here, we’ll take a look at the specific hormones involved in your menstrual cycle, how they might impact your diabete...MORE
Checking Your Blood Sugar During Pregnancy with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Managing your blood sugars during pregnancy is not a simple task — especially if you’re taking insulin. Here’s what you need to know to keep your BG levels in a safe range.MORE
Women with Diabetes Need Accessible Women’s Health Care
For a woman with diabetes, regular and affordable access to women’s health care is critical. In this guide, we explore information most women with diabetes are never told and dig into what’s being...MORE
Benefits of Using a Dexcom G7 CGM During Pregnancy
Managing diabetes during pregnancy can be tough, but Dexcom Chief Operating Officer Jake Leach shares how a CGM can help.MOREDELIVERY & POSTPARTUM
Birth Control & Type 1 Diabetes
The subject of birth control with relation to type 1 diabetes has always been a tricky subject, with inconsistent results. Hormones have been known to have an impact on blood glucose levels, but hormo...MORE
What to Expect During a Hospital Stay with Type 1 Diabetes
Preparing for a hospital stay can be overwhelming for anyone. Preparing for a hospital stay and having type 1 brings up so many more questions such as blood sugar control and insulin levels. MORE
Breastfeeding with Type 1 Diabetes
For many moms with type 1 diabetes, giving birth is only a small part of their story of living beyond. Breastfeeding presents its own sets of challenges and rewards for new mothers and those who’ve ...MORE
Labor, Delivery + Postpartum with Type 1 Diabetes
Pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes successfully deliver healthy babies every day, but managing the blood sugar and health challenges during each phase of pregnancy and delivery can be anxiety-provoki...MOREGESTATIONAL DIABETES
A (Gestational Diabetes) Wake Up Call
During my 27th week of pregnancy, I had an (unwanted) revelation: Being fit doesn’t mean being healthy.MORE
What is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of diabetes that affects pregnant women, and occurs in 1 in 25 pregnancies worldwide. It is caused by the malfunctioning of insulin receptors, due to the ...MOREStories
Read personal accounts from women with type 1 diabetes who have successfully managed their disease in order to have healthy pregnancies. There are many who have gone before you!
Pregnancy, Twins and Type 1 Diabetes
Two years ago, after leaving the clinic for my pre-conception visit I decided I did not want to ever get pregnant. Not because I did not want a baby; I wanted one more than anything. MORE
How Acupuncture Changed My Life
Having had T1D since age seven—as well as being a proud science/math geek—“alternative” medicine wasn’t exactly a natural fit. But I’m always open to new things so I gave it a shot. I star...MORE
Pregnancy and Repeat Diagnosis
I never expected my kids to get T1D. Ever. And if they were to get it, I thought it would be closer to their teens, like when I was diagnosed.MORE
A Mother’s Sweet Journey: Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes
I remember the phone call quite clearly. It was a Friday afternoon, and I was counting down the hours until our baby shower that weekend.MORE
Breastfeeding Twins as a Mom with Type 1 Diabetes
My superhero cape might not be visible to my kids, but my husband and I will never forget what we accomplished over the course of each day and in the dark hours of night, between bits of sleep and blo...MORE
Introduce Type 1 Diabetes to Your Baby
Building your relationship with type 1 during your pregnancy will go a long way in surviving the ups and downs of motherhood. Pregnancy and becoming a mom has been the most magnificent journey I have ...MORE
It Was Out of Our Control—A Pregnancy Story
Somehow, in some weird way, I could relate to a parent of a newly diagnosed child with diabetes. The diseases are vastly different, with discussion of survival rate piled on top of complications, but ...MORE
Surviving Hypos in Labor
I felt the public health system had let me down when Miss five (daughter Olive) arrived into the world. It all seemed to go horribly wrong. MORE
A Complicated Process: T1D and My Emergency C-Section
Hannah Brown shares the story of her pregnancy and birth of her child via c-section and the ways in which her diabetes played a role.MORE
Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes During a Pandemic
My pandemic pregnancy was a surprise, but finding an online community of fellow T1D pregnant women was my key.MORE
Bethany’s Story: My Eye Started Bleeding the Day My First Child Was Born
With 40 years of type 1 diabetes under her belt, Bethany shares her experience with laser treatments for retinopathy.MORE
Diabetes & Pregnancy: 5 Things I’ll Do Differently During My 2nd Pregnancy
I’m sharing my tips for staying calm and keeping your blood sugars stable when you have T1D and a baby on the way, or in my case—baby #2!MORE
Dexcom Explains the Benefits of G7 for People With Gestational Diabetes
Jacob Leach, Dexcom COO, shares how the use of Dexcom G7 in people with gestational diabetes can improve patient outcomes.MOREVideo Guides
The Type 1 Diabetes Think Tank Network has created a Type 1 Diabetes & Pregnancy Web Series to address questions from women with type 1 looking to get pregnant and have a healthy delivery. Consulting experts in the field, Host Deanna Palazzo, walks us through each trimester as well as care after birth.
- Introduction.
- Pre-pregnancy: Host Deanna Palazzo interviews endocrinologist Dr. Julia Lowe and nurse/diabetes educator Fiona Thompson-Hutchison on topics relating to pre-pregnancy. These questions include whether it is common for women with type 1 to have babies, the chance of the baby developing type 1, and why it’s so important to work toward getting an HbA1c under 7%.
- First trimester: Host Deanna Palazzo interviews nurse/diabetes educator Barbara Cleave and endocrinologist Dr. Denice Feig to get their thoughts on the first trimester. Topics covered include what are pregnancy symptoms vs. diabetes symptoms, how shifting blood glucose levels affect the fetus, and managing the variable insulin ratios that are needed.
- Second trimester: Deanna Palazzo interviews endocrinologist Dr. Julia Lowe and obstetrician Dr. Howard Berger to learn more about the second trimester. Topics being discussed include weight gain, the impact (or lack thereof!) of a “brief episode of cake”, gestational diabetes tests and more!
- Third trimester: Deanna interviews endocrinologist Dr. Julia Lowe and obstetrician Dr. Howard Berger to learn more about the third trimester and delivery. Topics being discussed include the changes to blood glucose levels during labour, the potential for NICU visits, just what ‘shoulder dystocia’ can mean and more!
- Post birth: Deanna interviews nurse and diabetes educator Fiona Thompson-Hutchison and endocrinologist Dr. Denice Feig about what happens after the baby is born. Topics being discussed include blood glucose and breast milk, personal safety and what to be aware of in this final stage of pregnancy.
Want more parenting resources? Head here.
