April 9, 2000
Family Planning, Hypoglycemia
Question from New York, USA:
I am a 28 year old Type 1 who wants to start a family. My HgbA1c for the past year has been excellent and my doctor says it is okay to try to get pregnant. I have heard about the dangers to an unborn child of high blood sugars but are there dangers to the baby when the mother has severe low blood sugars where medical intervention was needed? This is the first time that this has happened in 7 years but concerned that it might happen again, if I’m pregnant.
Answer:
There is risk to profound hypoglycemia. The fetus has some glucose reserve, but still depends on the mother as a source of sugar. However, with close monitoring you should minimize the possibility of hypoglycemia. In mothers who have frequent low blood sugars I tend to loosen the control and allow for higher values after the first trimester.
OWJ
