Managing Diabetes in Pregnancy, Together
Diabetes care in pregnancy is built around keeping your blood sugar in a healthy range to protect both you and your baby. A typical plan includes twice-weekly glucose reporting, serial ultrasounds, and regular fetal monitoring, with the details tailored to your specific type of diabetes. Many patients are also supported by a team that can include dietitians, endocrinologists, and other specialists.
A clear plan brings peace of mind
A diabetes diagnosis in pregnancy can feel overwhelming at first. The reassuring reality is that it’s highly manageable, and a clear, specialized care plan is what makes the difference. Your plan is shaped around your specific situation, because diabetes in pregnancy isn’t one-size-fits-all.
What your care involves
Every plan includes additional testing, closer follow-up, and more frequent monitoring than a routine pregnancy. In practical terms, that usually means:
- Reporting your glucose values twice weekly, so your care team can spot patterns early
- Serial ultrasounds to follow your baby’s growth over time
- Regular fetal monitoring for added reassurance
You’re surrounded by a team
You won’t manage this alone. We work closely with a range of specialists, including endocrinologists, dietitians, and cardiologists, so that every part of your care is coordinated around the same goal.
The most important thing to know
If there’s one message we want every patient to take with them, it’s this: report your glucose values as recommended, and ask us about any reading you’re unsure of. We’re here for those questions. And always contact your OB right away if something feels off, like a change such as decreased fetal movement. Knowing when to reach out is one of the most powerful tools you have, and we’ll make sure you know exactly when and how.
This is a partnership
Managing diabetes in pregnancy is a day-by-day effort, and it’s one we navigate together, with a plan that adapts as your pregnancy progresses.
The key to a healthy pregnancy for a woman with diabetes is to keep her blood glucose levels within target range ideally before, during and after the delivery.
Preconception counseling: Improves pregnancy outcome by lowering the risks of congenital malformations and maternal complications. It is a good idea to have good glucose control before getting pregnant and to assess the possibilities of maternal’s vascular complications such as visual (retinopathy), renal (diabetic nephropathy) and cardio vascular including hypertension and lipid disorder.
Pregnancy: Close supervision of treatment plan (meal plan, medication and exercise) will greatly improve the chances of a trouble-free pregnancy and healthy baby.
Post Partum: For the pregestational diabetic this is the time when the decision will be made regarding whether or not return to the treatment they were on prior to preconception time (some medications may not be safe during breast feeding). The gestational diabetic should return to the office to be retested for diabetes 6 to 12 weeks postpartum.
Diabetes Counseling: A Plan You Can Actually Follow
A diabetes counseling appointment gives you a personalized, practical plan for managing blood sugar in pregnancy. You’ll review your full history with a nurse and physician, receive a carefully built meal plan and medication dosing if needed, and leave knowing how to follow your diet, how often to test and report your glucose, and which readings need immediate attention. Counseling is offered in both English and Spanish.
Walk in with questions, walk out with a plan
The goal of diabetes counseling is simple. You leave with a clear, usable understanding of how to manage your blood sugar. Not a stack of pamphlets, but a real plan tailored to you.
What the appointment covers
Your session includes a full review of your history and a carefully constructed meal plan, plus medication dosing if it applies to your situation. By the end, you’ll understand:
- How to follow your meal plan day to day
- How often to test and report your glucose values
- Which readings need to be addressed right away
Who you’ll meet with
Your counseling is conducted by both a nurse and a physician, so you get practical, hands-on guidance backed by medical expertise in the same visit.
Meet Ariana Fajardo – Diabetes Educator
Since obtaining her certification as a Diabetes Educator in 1997, while working at the University of Miami’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ariana has worked exclusively with pregnant diabetic patients. She is experienced at working with patients diagnosed with diabetes prior to and during their pregnancy and her services and expertise are readily available to you at all times during your pregnancy.
Care in your language
Counseling is offered in both English and Spanish, so you can have these important conversations in the language you’re most comfortable with. Clear understanding is the entire point, and that’s hard to achieve in a language that isn’t your own.
Please note: Diabetes counseling is provided in person. We do not currently offer virtual or telehealth counseling sessions.
Support that meets you where you are
Understanding your plan is the foundation of managing it well, and we navigate that learning curve together, at a pace that works for you.
FAQs
Patient Feedback
“Best of the best. So happy i had these two doctors to guide me through the last trimester of my pregnancy; their techs and office staff were absolutely wonderful as well, truly made my pregnancy all the better.”
Carolina O.
“Just amazing! Felt confident with both Dr. De La Torre and Dr. Quintero. I would recommend both Doctors to anyone. Office Administration very organized and welcoming! Thank you for helping me through my twin pregnancy!”
Jennifer A.
“Saw them with my first pregnancy in hospital and they were great. When I got pregnant with my 2nd son 2 years later needed to be followed by a high risk dr and saw them again and they remembered me. Very compassionate and knowledgeable. If I decide to have a 3rd will definitely see them again. Great office staff too.”
Judy C.
