Navigating Pregnancy with Diabetes

photograph of the author
Author
Mareda Lewer, MPH
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Medically reviewed by
Lois Donovan, MD FRCPC
Published On
March 5, 2026
Updated On
March 6, 2026

Having a happy, healthy baby while living with diabetes is more possible than ever, with new technologies to help keep you and your baby safe while alleviating some of the pressure of diabetes management during this exciting time in your life. Below we share key takeaways from recently published expert recommendations to help you stay up-to-date on the tools available to you.

 

The extra challenge of diabetes during pregnancy

During pregnancy, your doctor will advise you to manage your diabetes more intensively than outside of pregnancy— including striving for a narrower glucose target (63-140 mg/dL)—to help keep you and your baby safe. 

We know this is no small task, but automated insulin delivery (AID) systems and continuous glucose monitors (CGM) can help pregnant women with type 1 diabetes. Research is currently exploring the usefulness of CGM among pregnant women with type 2 diabetes and the best way to use GDM among women with gestational diabetes. We’re here to help you learn more so you can decide what’s best for you and feel empowered knowing you have options to help you navigate this extra challenge.

 

What are CGM and AID?

A continuous glucose monitor (CGM) tracks glucose around the clock, providing updated levels every 1 to 5 minutes without any action required by the user. Most CGMs consist of a sensor worn on the skin (with a small wire inserted under the skin and a transmitter attached to a sticky patch) and a smartphone app or receiver device that displays readings.

An AID system consists of a sensor and insulin pump that “talk,” and an algorithm that adjusts the insulin you receive based on your glucose levels.

 

How can these tools help me?

 

FEWER FINGERSTICKS

Remembering everything you need to manage diabetes is already tough, and can be even more challenging during pregnancy. Using a CGM reduces the burden of remembering to prick your finger and log glucose tests, while giving you a low-effort way to see glucose patterns and ensure that your levels are where you want them. Most CGMs provide users the opportunity to easily log when meals occur. Noting when meals occur in the CGM app is very helpful to interpret CGM records in pregnancy (especially if this information is not being captured elsewhere, such as on an insulin pump). 

 

SEE PATTERNS

Love learning what is happening in your body during this time of great change? CGM can help you see how your changing hormones, a walk around the block, or the food you’ve been craving affect your glucose levels in real-time. Since pregnancy glucose targets are quite narrow, having this feedback can help you troubleshoot with less guesswork. Curious how CGM data can help you adjust diet, exercise, and other health behaviors to support your diabetes management? We’ve got you.

 

TANGIBLE TARGETS

CGM provides detailed metrics to help you stay on track. Experts recommend aiming for the following targets:1

  • Type 1 Diabetes: glucose levels between 63-140 mg/dL 70% of the time
  • Type 2 Diabetes: glucose levels between 63-140 mg/dL 80% of the time
  • Gestational Diabetes: glucose levels between 63-140 mg/dL 90% of the time

Having this information at your fingertips can give you peace of mind that your management strategies are working, or help you know when to reach out for extra help. 

 

VIRTUAL CHECK-INS

Pregnancy requires a lot of appointments, which can be tough to balance with all of life’s other responsibilities, especially if you’re working, caring for other dependents, or live far from your clinic. Most CGMs and AID systems sync your data to the cloud, allowing your healthcare team to review your patterns and suggest adjustments remotely when appropriate. This can save you precious time and energy by potentially reducing the number and frequency of in-person appointments necessary, while still getting you the support you need.

 

BALANCING THE MENTAL LOAD

Managing a chronic condition while growing a human is a massive undertaking. While technology can reduce the fear of lows and lower stress by automating parts of diabetes management, we also know that alarms can sometimes be overwhelming or disrupt your sleep. It’s okay to feel both ways—you might find these resources helpful to tailor device settings to your life and comfort level.

 

BETTER OUTCOMES FOR YOU AND YOUR BABY 

Research suggests that using technology can lead to a smoother pregnancy and a healthier start for your baby:

Type 1 Diabetes: Research shows CGM use leads to more time in the target glucose range recommended for pregnancy (63–140 mg/dL). This reduces the risk of having a large baby, NICU stays, and pregnancy-related blood pressure issues.2–6 You may find AID makes management a bit easier during pregnancy. Other benefits are more device-specific: experts recommend looking for a system that has been studied in pregnancy and shown to increase TIRp by at least 5% if possible.1 Your healthcare team can help you find what is currently available, or adjust your current system’s settings to support TIRp as well as possible.

Type 2 Diabetes: Early data suggests that consistent CGM use during pregnancy with type 2 diabetes may help improve glucose control and may reduce the risk of preterm birth.7,8 Outside of pregnancy, new research is showing great promise for both CGM and AID to help people with type 2 diabetes thrive.9,10 

Gestational Diabetes (GDM): Finger stick glucose testing is still recommended for all women with gestational diabetes. But, CGM may help manage glucose in GDM,11–14 and many find CGMs easier to live with than traditional finger-sticks.11,15 This is an exciting area of research with several studies ongoing. 

We’re grateful to see increased investment in much-needed research on diabetes technologies in pregnancy, especially for type 2 and gestational diabetes. Several studies are now underway, marking the next step in ensuring these game-changing tools are accessible to all who need them.

 

The bottom line

Whether you’re considering growing your family, actively planning for pregnancy, or already navigating this exciting but challenging time, we want to help you feel empowered by all the options available to support you.  CGMs and AID systems are incredible tools that can help alleviate burden, provide peace of mind, and fine-tune your management. Looking for more support? Check out all of our pregnancy-related resources here.

 

References

  1. Benhalima K, Durnwald C, Sweeting A, et al. Application of continuous glucose monitoring and automated insulin delivery technologies for pregnant women with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes: an international consensus statement. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2026;14(2):157-177. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(25)00335-3 
  2. Feig DS, Donovan LE, Corcoy R, et al. Continuous glucose monitoring in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes (CONCEPTT): a multicentre international randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. 2017;390(10110):2347-2359. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32400-5 
  3. Jones LV, Ray A, Moy FM, Buckley BS. Techniques of monitoring blood glucose during pregnancy for women with pre‐existing diabetes. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;2019(5):CD009613. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD009613.pub4 
  4. Chang VYX, Tan YL, Ang WHD, Lau Y. Effects of continuous glucose monitoring on maternal and neonatal outcomes in perinatal women with diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2022;184:109192. doi:10.1016/j.diabres.2022.109192 
  5. Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee, Feig DS, Berger H, et al. 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines: Diabetes and Pregnancy. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42:S255-S282. doi:10.1016/j.jcjd.2017.10.038 
  6. Sekhon J, Graham D, Mehrotra C, Li I. Continuous glucose monitoring: A cost-effective tool to reduce pre-term birth rates in women with type one diabetes. Aust N Z J Obstet Gynaecol. 2023;63(2):146-153. doi:10.1111/ajo.13581 
  7. Padgett CE, Ye Y, Champion ML, et al. Continuous Glucose Monitoring for Management of Type 2 Diabetes and Perinatal Outcomes. Obstet Gynecol. Published online May 23, 2024. doi:10.1097/AOG.0000000000005609 
  8. McLean A, Barr E, Tabuai G, Murphy HR, Maple-Brown L. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Metrics in High-Risk Pregnant Women with Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2023;25(12):836-844. doi:10.1089/dia.2023.0300 
  9. Garg SK, Hirsch IB, Repetto E, et al. Impact of continuous glucose monitoring on hospitalizations and glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes: real-world analysis. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2024;26(11):5202-5210. doi:10.1111/dom.15866 
  10. Ferreira ROM, Trevisan T, Pasqualotto E, et al. Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems in Noninsulin-Treated People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2024;26(4):252-262. doi:10.1089/dia.2023.0390 
  11. Linder T, Dressler-Steinbach I, Wegener S, et al. Glycaemic control and pregnancy outcomes with real-time continuous glucose monitoring in gestational diabetes (GRACE): an open-label, multicentre, multinational, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2026;14(1):50-61. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(25)00288-8 
  12. Valent AM, Rickert M, Pagan CH, Ward L, Dunn E, Rincon M. Real-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Pregnancies With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Diabetes Care. 2025;48(9):1581-1588. doi:10.2337/dc25-0115 
  13. Burk J, Ross GP, Hernandez TL, Colagiuri S, Sweeting A. Evidence for improved glucose metrics and perinatal outcomes with continuous glucose monitoring compared to self-monitoring in diabetes during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2025;233(3):162-175. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2025.04.010 
  14. García-Moreno RM, Benítez-Valderrama P, Barquiel B, et al. Efficacy of continuous glucose monitoring on maternal and neonatal outcomes in gestational diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Diabet Med J Br Diabet Assoc. 2022;39(1):e14703. doi:10.1111/dme.14703
  15. 15. Amylidi-Mohr S, Zennaro G, Schneider S, Raio L, Mosimann B, Surbek D. Continuous glucose monitoring in the management of gestational diabetes in Switzerland (DipGluMo): an open-label, single-centre, randomised, controlled trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol. 2025;13(7):591-599. doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(25)00063-4