I just spent a week with my mother in law and we got to talking about me having a baby and she was upset!!! She feels that we shld just adopt due to me being type 1 diabetic. She stated she knew two women who had babies and they both lost their lives shortly after giving birth. The one ended up needing a kidney transplant ,amputation of a leg, retinopathy which leaded into blindness, then she passed at age 42. She was 40 tho when she gave birth. She stated these 2 were sisters but according to them and their familes these complications were related to getting preg. I guess im just nervouse as heck. R the odds of this happening high? I do kno diabetcis having having healthy babies and pregnancy, but what r the odds? AM i better off not taking the chance? I guess im just realy down on this and i dont know what to do. Is it a gamble with my life?
I obviously can't predict the future and don't know your medical history... but, I was not the perfect type1 growing up (couple years of 12 and 13 a1cs in my teen years), and 11 and 9 years ago I gave birth to healthy baby girls. It took a ton of work, but I am 35 years into living with type 1 and am still basically complication free (struggle with depression some times...).
I urge you to talk to your doctors about their recommendations... make an educated decision on what it best for you, your husband and your future children whether biological or adopted. And, in this, you'll be able to educate your family about why pregnancy is or is not something you've decided with your husband to pursue.
Hey girl. I understand how you feel, my grandmother made me promise her when I was 7 years old that I would not try and have my own children, that I would adopt (she watched Steel Magnolias) I planned my entire life up until this past February to adopt, I never had any intention of getting pregnant due to be diabetic and also having endometriosis when I was younger and the doctors said I may not even be able to get pregnant, but Feb 25 my period was 5 days late, I took a test and I am now 35 weeks pregnant! So far I have had NO diabetic related complications. My A1C was a 9 when I got pregnant and in my teens I had an A1C all the way at a 15, so I definitely was NOT a model diabetic. My mother has extremely difficult pregnancys (before she was diabetic) and passed away from type 1 diabetes when I was 15 and she was 36. The odds have been stacked against me, I didn't prepare for pregnancy, and yet by all accounts I am set to deliver a baby boy within the next month... he is showing NO problems at all, he is growing right on track, my A1C is now a 6.4 and they are even letting me try to deliver vaginally at this point. YOU CAN DO IT, there is no magic formula, but I know many diabetic women who have had successful and healthy pregnancys and I am about to join their ranks, God willing.
Thank You for your positivie feed backs! it was very discouraging talking to her about this. My a1c in aug was 6.9. So not too bad. I (knock on wood) do not have any DM complications. My vision is good, no neuropathy, no kidney probs. My MD and DM educator has given me the okay to get pregnant and we have been trying now for 6 mos. Shld i also see a High risk ob spec as well before we get pregnant? or who else shld i see for more advice? Thank you ladies for helping me feel a little better. Any other feed back wld be great!
Unless she is a type 1 diabetic herself who has went thru a pregnancy, I would take her advice with a grain of salt. People just don't know a lot about type 1 diabetes and they always assume stuff. I remember one time I was talking to my mothers friend about my insulin pump. He asked was I married and I said yes. He then asked did I have diabetes before I met my husband. I said yes. He then replied "Oh, your husband must be a real decent guy. Most men probably wouldn't take on the committment of marrying a sick person." I was just like WHAT?! Do you honestly think my boyfriend of 5 yrs would not marry me because of diabetes??? I don't have some tragic, fatal illness that is going to kill me in X amount of yrs. It's just diabetes!!!
I am now 34 weeks pregnant and so far baby and I are both very healthy. My a1c is a 6.5 I see an endocrinologist, a high risk OBGYN, and every few months during pregnancy I see an eye doctor, although I have no eye problems at this point. My baby is measuring a little ahead by about 2 weeks (according to ultrasound) but that sometimes can be off a little bit. Plus, her dad was a 10 lb baby so genetics may just make me have a big baby! At this point I see my OB once a week, and have ultrasounds every 2 weeks. My doctor thinks everything looks perfectly fine and he plans to deliver at 39 weeks. We are going to try for a vaginal birth, unless she is too big then we may have to do a c-section.
I'd never planned to get pregnant, since even I thought it would be dangerous as a diabetic. But we had an unexpected blessing, and I was suprised to learn that I could have a completely healthy pregnancy. I wish I had known this earlier because we definitely would have had more kids.
Medical advances have made it the norm to have healthy diabetic pregnancies. When I was pregnant I had a non-diabetic A1c and have had no diabetes complications. My son is a healthy, non-diabetic kindergartener. I know a woman who takes terrible care of her diabetes and even she has had 2 healthy children.
It surprised me that even people who know me well and understand diabetes were really frightened about my pregnancy. My boss and mom-in-law acted like my pregnancy was a tragedy, instead of a blessing. I had an acquaintance ask if I'd seen "Steele Magnolias." No one seemed to care that my OBGYN said everything was great and I felt fantastic. My son was born at a normal weight, with a normal blood sugar. What's even more ironic is that 3 other co-workers were expecting at the same time (which was the topic of endless jokes at my office) and I had the healthiest pregnancy and child of any of us.
You know yourself and your diabetes. Only you can make the choice about having kids and I don't see any reason not to if your only concern is being a heatly type 1. Take care and good luck.
Thanks every one for the replies. I was just needing some positive energy, and thanks to u all i got it!! It was upsetting that someone in your life has already tried 2 stack the odds against you, and just "ASSUMES" that because you have diabetes that u are incapable of acheiving something so great! I know that it can be done, and i know it will take some hard work, but i feel that my husband are aware of it all and i feel we can do it! Thank you all again for your posiitive comments:)