Diabetes & Pregnancy

Expert Diabetes Management During Pregnancy

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) provides complete prenatal care for pregnant moms and their babies. Our maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) team provides care for high-risk pregnancies, including those with diabetes.

Whether you develop diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) or have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes prior to pregnancy, it’s important to carefully manage your condition to avoid complications. Our multidisciplinary team partners with experts at Joslin Diabetes Center to provide highly specialized care for diabetes before, during and after your pregnancy.

Preconception Planning

Whenever possible, we encourage those with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes to begin planning with your medical team before conception. This enables your care team to put steps in place to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Preconception planning may include:

• Bringing your blood sugar control into a good range for pregnancy.
• Making sure your medication regimen is safe for pregnancy.
• Working on diabetes self-care, such as diet and exercise.

What to Expect

Once your doctor has confirmed your pregnancy, an endocrinologist will evaluate you as soon as possible. The goal is to ensure you have good control of your blood sugar in the critical early weeks of pregnancy. You also will meet with maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists during your first trimester to discuss your symptoms and any concerns.

If you develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy, we will develop a plan to ensure you have a healthy pregnancy. This plan may include meeting with a nutritionist and making changes to your lifestyle to keep your blood sugar level under control. Because having gestational diabetes often increases the baby’s size, delivery via cesarean section may be necessary. 

All of our MFM specialists are experts in taking care of those with complicated medical conditions before and during pregnancy. Together with clinic partners from different medical specialties, we coordinate care with your primary obstetrician to provide the highest level of care for you and your baby.