Your Pregnancy Blood Sugar Targets

Your blood sugar target is the range your care team hopes to see. In pregnancy, many targets are tighter than usual.

Tighter means a narrower range. Think of a narrow hallway instead of a wide road. There is less room to drift.

Your team often watches two readings most closely. The first is fasting, taken in the morning before you eat. The second is after-meal, taken at a set time after a meal.

The American Diabetes Association suggests a fasting reading under 95 mg/dL (5.3 mmol/L). One hour after a meal, it suggests under 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L). Your doctor sets your own target.

Targets can change as pregnancy goes on, so your team may update yours. A number that worked early on may need a new look later.

Bring your readings to each visit. Your team can then decide if a change fits you.

Key takeaways

• Pregnancy targets are often tighter than the usual ones.
• Your team watches fasting and after-meal readings most closely.
• Your care team sets your own numbers and can update them as pregnancy goes on.

Try it

Write down your fasting and after-meal readings from this week, then bring the list to your next visit.