Taking insulin during pregnancy
When your blood glucose levels remain elevated despite meal planning and exercise, insulin must be added to your management plan to keep you and your baby healthy.
Tip
Hypoglycemia is a risk only if you're taking insulin. It does not occur simply because you have gestational diabetes.
Pregnancy requires that your body produce extra amounts of insulin.
Insulin is a hormone that is made by the pancreas. If your pancreas does not make any insulin or does not make enough insulin, injections can help you meet the need.
Your health care provider and diabetes educator will teach you how to inject insulin safely and comfortably.
You'll also learn about how to prevent hypoglycemia, exercise precautions when taking insulin, and what to do when you're sick and taking insulin.
Determining the right insulin and dosage
Your health care provider will decide what kind of insulin is right for you, how much to use and when you should take it, based on:
Tip
Keep a record of the type and amount of insulin you take. It is very important that you know and remember your insulin type every time you speak with a health care provider.
- your weight (which changes weekly)
- how far along your pregnancy is
- your meal plan
- your most recent blood glucose levels.
Sometimes, you may need more than one type of insulin. Different types of insulin work at different speeds, and your health care provider may combine insulins to achieve
the best results for you.
Your type of insulin
 |
Circle type(s) of insulin:
|
Humalog®
| NovoLog®
| Apidra®
| Regular
|
NPH
| Lantus®
|
| Levemir®
|
70/30
| 50/50
| 75/25
| NovoLog® Mix 70/30
|
Other ________________________________________
|
|
Your times and amounts
Record times and amounts:
- before breakfast: ________________________________________
- before lunch: ___________________________________________
- before evening meal: _____________________________________
- before bed: ____________________________________________
As a rule, take your insulin 30 minutes before your meal if you take Regular. If you take Humalog, NovoLog or Apidra, take it right before your meal.
