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February 15, 2002

Family Planning, Type 2

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Question from Waldron, Arkansas, USA:

I have type 2 diabetes, and my doctor said that if I become pregnant that I would need to start taking insulin, but after that the baby is born 95% of women go back on the pills to control blood sugar. I am on pills now, and I would not want to stay on insulin.

Answer:

From: DTeam Staff

It is very possible that after a pregnancy you could resume taking oral hypoglycemic agents. Sometimes, though, women have to continue taking insulin.

OWJ

[Editor’s comment: The use of insulin (by shot or by insulin pump) during pregnancy is mainly to assure the best possible control of the blood sugar levels, and the best possible outcome for the pregnancy (see Planning a pregnancy, at the Diabetes Monitor).

After delivery, the decision whether to continue insulin or to switch back to pills would depend on additional factors besides how your blood sugar levels are doing, and you and your diabetes team should decide at that time which way to go.

WWQ]