What does type 2 diabetes mean in pregnancy?

Pregnancy changes insulin needs and can make glucose harder to control. High glucose can affect the pregnant person and the developing baby, while some diabetes medicines may need review before or during pregnancy. Care commonly involves maternity, diabetes and sometimes eye or kidney specialists. The team may arrange more frequent appointments, scans and checks than usual.

Tell your maternity team about diabetes as early as possible. Check glucose at the times advised, keep a record, take prescribed folic acid and medicines, and do not stop treatment on your own. Eat regular meals and snacks suited to your plan, stay active when your maternity team says it is safe, and attend eye, kidney and antenatal appointments. Ask how illness, vomiting and labour may change your plan.

Get urgent medical advice for repeated high or low readings, vomiting that prevents food or fluids, severe abdominal pain, heavy bleeding, severe headache, visual changes, reduced fetal movement or feeling acutely unwell. A low reading with confusion, fainting or inability to swallow is an emergency. Keep your diabetes supplies and contact numbers available.

Ask what readings to aim for, how often to test, which medicines and supplements are suitable, how to manage sickness, and how diabetes will be monitored during labour and after birth.