Watch the following clip to find out more about the support available to women with diabetes.

"Aim to empower women with diabetes to have a positive experience of pregnancy and childbirth by providing information, advice and support that will help to reduce the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes for mother and baby"  
NICE Clinical Guidelines

Women with diabetes should have access to a dedicated team to help manage their diabetes and to support them through pregnancy. As well as their GP, they will also have the support of a dedicated diabetes pregnancy support team at their local hospital. Women with diabetes should be made aware that the following support is available:

"Advise women that extra time and effort is needed to manage diabetes during pregnancy and that she will have frequent contact with healthcare professionals"

"Give women with diabetes who are planning to become pregnant information about the local arrangements for support during pregnancy, including emergency contact numbers." 
NICE Clinical Guidelines 2015

 

Women with diabetes should be seen every 2 weeks by their multiprofessional team at a joint antenatal and metabolic clinic. They should expect to be offered the following care:

• Blood pressure and urinalysis check
• Referral in each trimester of pregnancy for retinal screening
• Monitoring of glycaemic control and adaptation of insulin medication
• Advice re diet and lifestyle
• Advice re management of hypos; care of insulin injection sites
• Offer of ultrasound scan with four chamber view of fetal heart at 20 weeks
• Serial ultrasound scans from 28 weeks to monitor fetal growth and amniotic fluid volume
• Weekly assessment for fetal wellbeing from 38 weeks
• Parentcraft education including advice with regard to breastfeeding
• Plan for vaginal birth at term unless induction of labour or c section indicated at 38 weeks

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