FETAL
SURVEILLANCE
As with most pregnancies, ultrasound is used with diabetic women to follow the development of
the fetus. It allows the obstetrician to estimate the age, growth, and health of the fetus and to look for
malformations.
LABOR AND
DELIVERY
With careful management of the diabetes in pregnancy, most women are able to go to term unless
there are complications. Generally speaking, pregnancies are not allowed to proceed beyond forty
weeks.
If you have type 1 diabetes, you will be given an intravenous infusion of insulin and glucose
to keep your glucose levels between 70 and 90 mg/dl during labor and delivery. High glucose levels can increase
the risk of hypoglycemia in the fetus. During the active part of labor, the insulin may be stopped and a glucose
infusion may be required to supply the mother with calories. After delivery, your doctor will change you back to
your prepregnancy insulin doses.
If you have type 2 diabetes,
your doctor may ask you to stay on insulin while you are breast-feeding, and once you stop, he or she will
switch you to your usual medicines for glucose control.
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