FAIRFAX, Vt. -

Starting a family is an exciting decision for a lot of expecting moms. While the reward is great, being pregnant is not always easy. Imagine nine months carrying a child while handling a chronic condition at the same time.

Like many parents, Ginger Vieira is obsessed with her 2 year-old daughter Lucy.And now the Fairfax couple is looking forward to bringing home baby number two in a couple of months.Its amazing that I can produce an entire life in the same body that cant even sustain itself, says Vieira.

Her body can't live without insulin, a hormone she barely produces. She has Type 1 diabetes which means a longer checklist during that nine month stretch before her baby gets here. Vieira says she has to check her blood sugar 10-15 times a day and wears a continuous glucose monitor.I would love to see what pregnancy is like without Type 1 diabetes, says Vieira, where the biggest worry of the day is like getting your pants on and that they fit.

I think the typical woman that goes through pregnancy --it already seems like a lot, says Vieira, but then when you throw the responsibilities of Type 1 diabetes...

Its a lot of work to be pregnant with Type 1 diabetes, says Doctor Marjorie Meyer, Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Vermont Medical Center.Doctor Meyer works closely with the diabetic clinic at UVM.She says about 3,000 mothers give birth in Vermont a year and 50 of them have diabetes.The highest risk is the rigor to control the blood sugar for a long time and the rapid changes that occur, says Dr. Meyer.

Which means these soon-to-be moms need to be in constant contact with their doctors.But most women who have type 1 have a good idea how to manage their health before starting a family.Just like any other woman, says Dr. Meyer, to optimize your health status before conception is key.

Back home in Fairfax, Vieira says she's just thankful for the healthy, beautiful toddler she has now.Pregnancy is an awesome thing, says Vieira. Im incredibly grateful that even though my body cant make insulin, it can make Lucy

Vieira is an author and just completed a book called "Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes" to help other moms like her.

Original post:
Type 1 diabetes and pregnancy - WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports- - WCAX

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