Pregnant When You Have Diabetes: A Checklist

Planning for a baby? Don't let diabetes get in the way

Pregnant mother making notes about her pregnancy journey

Planning for a baby? Don't let diabetes get in the way.

If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, here’s what to do to have a healthy pregnancy. Mothers-to-be with gestational diabetes can also use this list to take care of yourself and deliver a healthy baby.

Plan Ahead

Overweight woman measuring her waist circumference in the ym

Keep your diabetes under control three to six months before you get pregnant.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Once you are pregnant, see your doctor as soon as you can.

Keep All Clinic Appointments

Pregnant mother visiting the doctor's for her appointment

Ask your doctor for advice on necessary check-ups and lab tests.
Bring your blood glucose diary when you see your doctor.
Your doctor may adjust your diabetes medicines. Take note of what to take, how much to take and how often you should take your medicines.
Let your doctor know if you are taking other medicines (include traditional Chinese medicines and herbs) and discuss whether to continue taking them.
Meet your diabetes health team regularly.

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

Pregnant mothers in a yoga class

Arrange to see a dietician or nurse educator if you need advice on your pregnancy diet.
Ask your doctor for advice on safe physical activities.
Have enough rest. Sleep seven to eight hours every night.
Learn to relax and reduce stress.

Related: Get your Heart Pumping!

If You Are Sick or Need to Travel

Pregnant mother travelling in an airplane

If you are sick (flu, cold), you may need to adjust your diet, insulin, blood glucose testing and ketone testing. Discuss these with your doctor beforehand so that you know what to do when you are not feeling well.
Learn how to prepare for long overseas trips.

Plan to Breastfeed Your Baby

Mother breast feeding her new born baby in bed

Discuss your plan to breastfeed with your diabetes health team.
Check with your doctor which medicines are safe to take when breastfeeding.

Related: Pregnancy Complications

Manage Your Blood Glucose

Pregnant mother getting a blood sugar test

Together with your doctor, set goals for your daily blood glucose levels and HbA1C reading.
Watch out for symptoms of high blood glucose, low blood glucose or ketones and know how to manage them.
Your doctor will help you set daily blood glucose goals. Write them in this table to remember them.

Time	Plasma Blood Glucose Values for Adults with Diabetes (mmol/L)	My Blood Glucose Goals
Before a meal (fasting)¹	Less than 5.5
1 hour after a meal¹	Less than 7.8
2 hours after a meal¹	Less than 6.7
HbA1C²	Less than 6.5%

Source:

¹ MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines 1/2014 for Diabetes Mellitus, Ministry of Health Singapore.

²American Diabetes Association (2016). Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy. Diabetes Care. 2016; 39(1):S94-8.

Keep a copy of this table in your wallet or snap a photo of it with your handphone to remind you of your goals. If your blood glucose levels are too high or too low, or you have ketones and are not sure what to do, see your doctor for advice.

Download checklist for pregnant mothers with diabetes [PDF].

Read these next:

This article was last reviewed on Monday, February 22, 2021

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Planning for a baby? Don't let diabetes get in the way

<div class="ExternalClass50C8827D5A4340BF9C305B769F8B7599"><p>Planning for a baby? Don't let diabetes get in the way.
</p><p>If you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, here’s what to do to have a healthy pregnancy. Mothers-to-be with <a href="http://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/87/diabetes-mellitus" title="Diabetes Mellitus">gestational diabetes</a> can also use this list to take care of yourself and deliver a healthy baby.</p><h2>Plan Ahead</h2><div style="text-align:center;">
      <img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Pregnancy%20and%20Infant%20Health/overweight-woman-measuring-waist-in-gym.jpg" alt="Overweight woman measuring her waist circumference in the ym" style="margin:5px;" />


   </div><ul><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Keep your diabetes under control three to six months before you get pregnant.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Maintain a healthy weight.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Once you are pregnant, see your doctor as soon as you can.</li></ul><p>
      <strong>Related:
         <a title="Why It's Important to Manage Your Diabetes" href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1815/why-its-important-to-manage-your-diabetes">Why It's Important to Manage Your Diabetes</a></strong></p><h2>Keep All Clinic Appointments
</h2><p style="text-align:center;">
      <img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Pregnancy%20and%20Infant%20Health/cropped-shot-of-doctor-writing-down-while-pregnant-woman-holding-stomach.jpg" alt="Pregnant mother visiting the doctor's for her appointment" style="margin:5px;" />


   </p><ul><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Ask your doctor for advice on necessary check-ups and lab tests.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Bring your blood glucose diary when you see your doctor.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Your doctor may adjust your diabetes medicines. Take note of what to take, how much to take and how often you should take your medicines.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Let your doctor know if you are taking other medicines (include traditional Chinese medicines and herbs) and discuss whether to continue taking them.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Meet your diabetes health team regularly.
</li></ul><p>
      <strong>Related:
         <a title="Being Hospitalised When You have Diabetes" href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1429/being-hospitalised-when-you-have-diabetes">Being Hospitalised When You have Diabetes</a></strong></p><h2>Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
</h2><p style="text-align:center;">
      <img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Pregnancy%20and%20Infant%20Health/yoga-for-the-pregnant.jpg" alt="Pregnant mothers in a yoga class" style="margin:5px;" />


   </p><ul><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Arrange to see a dietician or nurse educator if you need advice on your pregnancy diet.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Ask your doctor for advice on safe physical activities.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Have enough rest. Sleep seven to eight hours every night.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Learn to relax and reduce stress.</li></ul><p>
      <strong>Related:
         <a title="Get your Heart Pumping!" href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1764/get-your-heart-pumping">Get your Heart Pumping!</a></strong></p><h2>If You Are Sick or Need to Travel
</h2><p style="text-align:center;">
      <img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Pregnancy%20and%20Infant%20Health/pregnant-woman-traveling-with-airplane.jpg" alt="Pregnant mother travelling in an airplane" style="margin:5px;" />


   </p><ul><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">If you are
         <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1306/beat-the-flu-when-you-have-diabetes" title="Beat The Flu When You Have Diabetes">sick</a> (flu, cold), you may need to adjust your diet, insulin, blood glucose testing and
         <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/diseases-and-conditions/669/blood-glucose-monitoring" title="Blood Glucose Monitoring">ketone</a> testing. Discuss these with your doctor beforehand so that you know what to do when you are not feeling well.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Learn how to prepare for
         <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1314/travelling-with-diabetes" title="Travelling With Diabetes">long overseas trips</a>.</li></ul><p>
      <strong>Related:
         <a title="Can You Still Travel While Pregnant?" href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1608/can-you-still-travel-while-pregnant">Can You Still Travel While Pregnant?</a></strong></p><h2>Plan to Breastfeed Your Baby
</h2><p style="text-align:center;">
      <img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Pregnancy%20and%20Infant%20Health/asian-mother-is-breastfeeding-cute-little-asian-toddler-in-bed.jpg" alt="Mother breast feeding her new born baby in bed" style="margin:5px;" />


   </p><ul><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Discuss your plan to breastfeed with your diabetes health team.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Check with your doctor which medicines are safe to take when breastfeeding.</li></ul><p>
      <strong>Related:
         <a title="Pregnancy Complications" href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/989/pregnancy-complications">Pregnancy Complications</a></strong></p><h2>Manage Your Blood Glucose
</h2><p style="text-align:center;">
      <img src="/sites/assets/Assets/Categories/Pregnancy%20and%20Infant%20Health/pregnant-woman-with-doctor.jpg" alt="Pregnant mother getting a blood sugar test" style="margin:5px;" />


   </p><ul><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Together with your doctor, set goals for your daily blood glucose levels and
         <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1315/what-is-hba1c" title="What Is HbA1C">HbA1C</a> reading.</li><li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Watch out for symptoms of
         <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/diseases-and-conditions/669/blood-glucose-monitoring" title="Blood Glucose Monitoring">high blood glucose</a>,
         <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1311/what-is-low-blood-glucose" title="What is Low Blood Glucose">low blood glucose</a> or
         <a href="https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/diseases-and-conditions/669/blood-glucose-monitoring" title="Blood Glucose Monitoring">ketones</a> and know how to manage them.</li>
      <li style="margin-bottom:10px;">Your doctor will help you set daily blood glucose goals. Write them in this table to remember them.</li></ul><div class="table-responsive" id="Daily Blood Glucose Goals"><table cellspacing="0" width="100%" class="ms-rteTable-default table" style="display:block;border:none;text-align:center;"><thead><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:20%;"><p>
                     <strong>Time</strong></p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"><p>
                     <strong>Plasma Blood Glucose Values for Adults with Diabetes (mmol/L)</strong></p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"><p>
                     <strong>My Blood Glucose Goals</strong></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:20%;"><p>Before a meal (fasting)<a href="#tablenote" rel="nofollow"><sup>1</sup></a></p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"><p>Less than 5.5</p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"></td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:20%;"><p>1 hour after a meal<a href="#tablenote" rel="nofollow"><sup>1</sup></a></p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"><p>Less than 7.8</p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"></td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:20%;"><p>2 hours after a meal<a href="#tablenote" rel="nofollow"><sup>1</sup></a></p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"><p>Less than 6.7</p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"></td></tr><tr><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:20%;"><p>HbA1C<a href="#tablenote" rel="nofollow"><sup>2</sup></a></p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"><p>Less than 6.5%</p></td><td class="ms-rteTable-default" style="display:table-cell;width:40%;"></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p>
      <span class="CaptionText" style="width:90%;">Source:</span></p><p>
      <span class="CaptionText" style="width:90%;">
         <sup>1</sup> MOH Clinical Practice Guidelines 1/2014 for Diabetes Mellitus, Ministry of Health Singapore.</span></p><p>
      <span class="CaptionText" style="width:90%;">
         <sup> 2 </sup>American Diabetes Association (2016). Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy. Diabetes Care. 2016; 39(1):S94-8.</span></p><p>Keep a copy of this table in your wallet or snap a photo of it with your handphone to remind you of your goals. If your blood glucose levels are too high or too low, or you have ketones and are not sure what to do, see your doctor for advice.
</p><p>Download
      <a href="/sites/assets/Assets/PDFs/HPB/Diseases+Conditions/Check-list%20for%20pregnancy%20with%20diabetes.pdf" title="Check-list for Pregnant Mothers with Diabetes" target="_blank">checklist for pregnant mothers with diabetes [PDF]</a>.</p><hr /><p>
      <strong>Read these next:</strong></p><ul><li>
         <a title="I Can’t Get Pregnant! Is There Anything Wrong?" href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/923/pregnancy-i-cant-get-pregnant-is-there-anything-wrong">I Can’t Get Pregnant! Is There Anything Wrong?</a></li><li>
         <a title="If You Think Thin People Don’t Get Diabetes, Think Again!" href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1260/if-you-think-that-thin-people-dont-get-diabetes-think-again">If You Think Thin People Don’t Get Diabetes, Think Again!</a>
</li><li>
         <a title="Emotional Challenges Parents Face When a Child Has Diabetes" href="https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1350/emotional-challenges-parents-face-when-a-child-has-diabetes">Emotional Challenges Parents Face When a Child Has Diabetes</a>
</li></ul></div>

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Friday, July 20, 2018

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Monday, February 22, 2021

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HPB implements programmes that reach out to the population, specifically children, adults and the elderly. These programmes include health and dental services for school children, BreastScreen Singapore, AIDS Education Programme, CervicalScreen Singapore, Childhood Injury Prevention Programme, Mental Health Education Programme, National Myopia Prevention Programme, Physical Activity, National Smoking Control Programme, Nutrition Programme, Osteoporosis Education Programme, Workplace Health Promotion Programme, HPB Online, HealthLine, Health Information Centre and HealthZone. New programmes will also be initiated over time to address health concerns among the community.</div>

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Pregnant When You Have Diabetes: A Checklist

Articles

HEALTH eSERVICES

Pregnant When You Have Diabetes: A Checklist

Plan Ahead

Keep All Clinic Appointments

Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle

If You Are Sick or Need to Travel

Plan to Breastfeed Your Baby

Manage Your Blood Glucose

Programmes You May Like

National Cervical Cancer Screening Programme

Diabetes Hub: Guide to Managing Diabetes

Stop and Reverse Pre-diabetes

Programmes You May Like

Stop and Reverse Pre-diabetesFind out more about pre-diabetes and how you can reverse it by making some changes to your lifestyle.

Stroke HubA resource guide for stroke survivors, their loved ones and caregivers. Find out how to spot the warning signs and symptoms of a stroke. Learn how you can support patients in seeking treatment and recovery from stroke.

2019 Health Calendar And What Women Need to Know About HealthYour health is yours. Caring for yourself is caring for your loved ones. Take charge and start your journey to good health today!

Browse Live Healthy

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