Diabetes and Pregnancy Planning in Chinchwad: When to Try

If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and want a baby, plan the pregnancy before you start trying. In Chinchwad, PCMC, Dr Bharati Patil, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Chetna Hospital, can help you check your HbA1c, start the right dose of folic acid and review your medicines first. Try for a baby once your doctor says your sugar is on target.

Why this is in the news now: World Diabetes Day falls on 14 November, and the WHO World Diabetes Day 2026 campaign focuses on early action on diabetes. For a woman with diabetes who hopes to become pregnant, early action means the months before conception, not the first antenatal visit.

Who should read this

This page is for women in Chinchwad and the wider PCMC area who already live with type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are thinking about a pregnancy in the next months or year. It is also useful for husbands and parents who help with medicines and meals. Diabetes that starts during pregnancy (gestational diabetes) is a different condition and is not covered here.

Why the months before pregnancy matter

A baby’s organs form in the first weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. The NHS guidance on diabetes in pregnancy explains that women with diabetes may have a higher chance of miscarriage, a large baby, and complications such as worsening eye disease. The baby may have a slightly higher chance of birth defects, especially of the heart and nervous system. Good sugar control before and in early pregnancy lowers these risks.

That is why the decision to try is best made together with your gynaecologist and the doctor who treats your diabetes, rather than after a positive test.

Step 1: Check your sugar with an HbA1c test

A finger-prick reading shows your sugar at one moment. HbA1c is a blood test that shows your average sugar over recent months, so it tells your doctor whether your diabetes has been steady.

• The NHS says it is best if HbA1c is no more than 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) before you get pregnant, if your doctor feels this is safe for you.
• If HbA1c is above 86 mmol/mol (10%), the NHS says the care team should strongly advise you not to try for a baby until it has fallen.
• Keep using contraception until your sugar is under control.

Your own target may differ, for example if you have frequent low-sugar episodes. Ask your doctor what number to aim for.

Step 2: Start folic acid at the higher dose

Folic acid helps protect the baby’s developing brain and spine. Women with diabetes need a higher dose than usual. The NHS advises 5 milligrams of folic acid every day, starting before you try and continuing until you are 12 weeks pregnant. This dose needs a doctor’s prescription, so do not rely on a regular multivitamin.

Step 3: Review your medicines and get your eyes checked

Bring every tablet and insulin pen you use to the visit. The NHS notes that medicines for conditions linked to diabetes, such as high blood pressure, may need to be changed before pregnancy. Your doctor will tell you what to continue, what to switch and when.

Never stop a diabetes medicine on your own. Stopping suddenly can push your sugar up quickly.

Eye screening matters too. The NHS explains that the risk of serious eye problems is greater in pregnancy, so a diabetic eye check before you try, and regular checks during pregnancy, are part of the plan.

Step 4: When to try, and when to wait

It is usually reasonable to start trying when:

• your doctor says your HbA1c is in a safe range for you
• you have been taking 5 mg folic acid
• your medicines have been reviewed and changed if needed
• your eyes have been checked

It is usually better to wait, and keep using contraception, when HbA1c is still high, you are having frequent low-sugar episodes, or your medicines have not yet been reviewed.

Already pregnant?

Not every pregnancy is planned. If you have diabetes and find you are pregnant, do not stop your medicines. Book a visit with a gynaecologist and the doctor who treats your diabetes soon, so your sugar, medicines and folic acid dose can be checked early.

A simple checklist for the first visit

• Your latest HbA1c, fasting sugar and kidney reports
• A list of every medicine with doses, including insulin timings
• Your home sugar readings for the past few weeks
• Dates of your last periods and any earlier pregnancies
• Questions you want answered, written down

More from Chetna Hospital

• Meet our gynaecologist in Chinchwad, Dr Bharati Patil
• Gynaecology and maternity care at Chetna Hospital
• Infertility department at Chetna Hospital
• Period-delay tablets: when are they safe?

Slides from this topic

Consultation near you

Dr Bharati Patil sees patients at Room 8, First Floor, Plot No. GP 116, Sambhaji Nagar Road, Near Rotary Club, G Block, MIDC, Pimpri, Chinchwad, Pune 411019, Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 1 pm and 4 pm to 8:30 pm. Patients come from Chinchwad, Pimpri, Akurdi, Nigdi, Ravet, Wakad, Hinjewadi, Pimple Saudagar, Thergaon, Tathawade, Punawale, Moshi and Bhosari.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get pregnant if I have diabetes?

Yes. Many women with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have healthy pregnancies. Planning ahead with a gynaecologist, so that sugar is controlled and folic acid is started before conception, lowers the risks for mother and baby.

What HbA1c should I have before trying for a baby?

The NHS says it is best if HbA1c is no more than 48 mmol/mol (6.5%) before pregnancy, if this is safe for you. Above 86 mmol/mol (10%), women are strongly advised not to try until it falls. Your doctor sets your own target.

How much folic acid should a woman with diabetes take?

The NHS advises 5 mg of folic acid a day, from before you try until 12 weeks of pregnancy. This higher dose needs a prescription.

Should I stop my diabetes or BP tablets when planning a pregnancy?

Do not stop any medicine on your own. Some medicines, such as certain blood pressure tablets, may need to be changed before pregnancy. Your doctor will advise you.

Where can I see a gynaecologist for pregnancy planning with diabetes in Chinchwad?

Dr Bharati Patil, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, sees patients at Chetna Hospital, Sambhaji Nagar Road, Chinchwad, Pune 411019. Call 91686 90447 to book.

This article is general information and does not replace a consultation with your doctor.

Sources

• NHS – Diabetes in pregnancy (pre-existing type 1 and type 2 diabetes)
• World Health Organization – World Diabetes Day 2026