Preconception Optimization
The preconception period is the ideal time to prepare for getting your glucose/blood sugar within the normal range. This sets your pregnancy off to the best start and can significantly reduce your and your future baby’s risks. It can reduce risks of anomalies and early pregnancy loss.
Diabetes in Pregnancy
Diabetes in pregnancy takes many forms. Frequently it is pre-existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes. With advancing understanding, we now know there can also be several other types including MODY, LADA and pancreatogenic diabetes.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes can be a vague diagnosis with numerous metrics and definitions. In general, if your blood glucose is higher than normal in pregnancy, you are considered to have gestational diabetes due to the increased risk this can have for you and your baby in pregnancy, birth and beyond.
Postpartum Transition
Postpartum is a critical time with fluctuations of insulin needs that can benefit from support provided by Tara Cardinal, CNM, ARNP until you re-establish with either your endocrinologist or primary care provider to continue the management of your blood glucose.
Diabetes Technology
Technology is revolutionizing the experience of managing blood glucose in pregnancy.
Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Dexcom, Stelo and Libre are all very common continuous glucose monitors used in pregnancy.
Insulin Pumps
There are a variety of insulin pumps available for use in pregnancy. These reduce the burden of your work in having to manage frequent injections with increasing doses as pregnancy advances.
Tara Cardinal, CNM, ARNP is experienced in starting and managing insulin pump use in pregnancy.
Due to being a solo practice with limited resources, individuals with insulin pumps often require a higher level of care than can be provided and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Anyone accepted into care will need to be closely and collaboratively co-managed with their maternal fetal medicine and/or endocrinology teams.
Whatever the cause of elevated blood glucose in pregnancy, Tara Cardinal, CNM, ARNP strives to provide personalized care to enable managing it within normal parameters to optimize outcomes.
