Diabetes and Pregnancy Services

If you’re pregnant and have diabetes, UPMC can help.

As many as one in 10 women will develop diabetes during pregnancy. Diabetes may increase the risks of birth complications, birth defects, and other issues. But with effective treatment, you can manage your symptoms and have a healthier pregnancy and delivery.

What Is Diabetes and Pregnancy Services?

At UPMC, we offer diabetes diagnosis and treatment for pregnant women.

Our experts care for women managing both diabetes and pregnancy. If you’re have diabetes or are at risk, we can help you control your blood sugar — and increase your odds of having a healthy pregnancy.

How Does Diabetes Affect a Pregnant Woman?

Diabetes can cause health issues for you and your baby during pregnancy.

Insulin is a hormone from your pancreas that helps your body use the natural and added sugar in food as energy. With diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough or any insulin, or your cells don’t respond to insulin the way they should.

Medication and other treatment for diabetes helps you control your blood sugar. Blood sugar that’s too high or too low can cause health issues for anyone. But when you’re pregnant, untreated diabetes can lead to serious problems for you and your baby.

Diabetes complications that may affect your baby include:

• An increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes later in life.
• Birth defects that may impact the way the baby’s spine, brain, or heart develop.
• Breathing difficulties.
• Early (pre-term) birth.
• High birth weight, meaning a baby that’s 9 or more pounds.
• Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) at birth.
• Miscarriage, which is a loss of pregnancy before 20 weeks.
• Stillbirth, which is when a baby dies just before or shortly after birth.

Diabetes complications that may affect you include:

• An increased risk of a cesarean section (C-section) delivery.
• An increased risk of developing diabetes later in life. If you have gestational diabetes, you’re more likely to get type 2 diabetes after pregnancy.
• High blood pressure, including a risk of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia causes high blood pressure. It increases the risk of death for you and your baby.

Fortunately, working with your doctor to manage your blood sugar during pregnancy can help reduce the risk of serious complications.

What conditions do you treat?  

At UPMC, we understand the special needs of having or developing diabetes during pregnancy. Our experts can help you manage these challenges.

We can help you if you’re pregnant and have:

• Type 1 diabetes — This is when your pancreas makes little to no insulin and you need to take insulin daily to stay alive.
• Type 2 diabetes — This is when your body makes too little insulin, or your cells don’t use the insulin you do make as well as they could. You can control type 2 diabetes through lifestyle changes, like diet and exercise. Some people with type 2 diabetes need to take medication, too.
• Gestational diabetes — This is diabetes you develop during pregnancy. With gestational diabetes, your body doesn’t make enough insulin. In some cases, you can manage gestational diabetes with diet and exercise but you may need to take insulin medication, too. Gestational diabetes often goes away after you give birth but in some cases, it turns into type 2 diabetes.

What Gestational Diabetes Treatments and Services Do You Offer?

At UPMC, we offer complete treatment for diabetes during your pregnancy.

Our services include: 

• Complete obstetrical care.
• Diabetes education.
• Fetal surveillance, including ultrasound, fetal echocardiography, and non-stress testing.
• Genetic counseling.
• Nutrition counseling.
• Postpartum (after birth) education and counseling.
• Preconception counseling.
• Pregnancy consultation.
• Social services.

Why Choose UPMC for Diabetes and Pregnancy Services?  

At UPMC, our goal is for you to have a healthy pregnancy and birth.

Working with a health care team can reduce the risk of serious complications. Our experts offer total care for women with diabetes. From before pregnancy to after birth, we’ll help you make informed decisions and find the best treatment for you and your baby.

By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2024-09-05.