May 24, 2001
Family Planning, Insulin Analogs
Question from Hellevoetsluis, the Netherlands:
I am a 29 year old woman with diabetes for over 22 years who has been using an insulin pump with Humalog, and recently, my husband and I told the doctor we were ready for our second child. He advised us to switch back to Regular, but, now I’m on it, I’m having troubles with my blood sugars, so I would like to switch back. I would like to know more about the effects of Humalog in the first trimester of pregnancy. Can you tell me more about it?
Answer:
Although a lot of physicians (including myself) are using Humalog in pregnancy, there are currently no published studies showing either presence or absence of adverse effects. The benefits of improved glucose control in the first trimester may outweigh any potential and unproven risk. If you want to minimize your risk, use Regular insulin during the first eight weeks of pregnancy and then switch back to Humalog.
OWJ
