Diabetes in Pregnancy Program

The Diabetes in Pregnancy Program supports anyone who is pregnant or hoping to become pregnant soon with managing their diabetes. We serve people with all types of diabetes, including:

• Type 1 diabetes
• Type 2 diabetes
• Gestational diabetes
• Those at risk for developing gestational diabetes

How can diabetes impact pregnancy?

Having type 1 or type 2 diabetes or developing gestational diabetes puts you and your baby at higher risk for pregnancy complications, especially if your glucose levels aren’t controlled. With close monitoring and proper diabetes management during pregnancy, you can enjoy a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Pregnancy complications from diabetes

• Preeclampsia: A serious, sometimes life-threatening condition that’s marked by high blood pressure and signs of organ stress, usually after 20 weeks of pregnancy
• Preterm labor: Labor that begins before 37 weeks
• Postpartum hemorrhage: Heavy bleeding during or after delivery that requires immediate care
• Future diabetes diagnosis: Having gestational diabetes during a current pregnancy raises the likelihood of experiencing gestational diabetes in future pregnancies or type 2 diabetes later in life.

Conditions that can affect your baby

• Preterm birth: Babies born too early may have breathing problems, feeding difficulties and developmental delays.
• Large birth weight: Larger babies due to uncontrolled diabetes may increase the likelihood of cesarean delivery or birth injury.
• Low birth weight: This can be linked to placental problems or maternal health conditions.
• Birth defects: Poorly controlled preexisting diabetes increases the risk of breathing complications, congenital heart defects and other structural abnormalities.
• Stillbirth: This is rare, but it can occur if severe diabetes or hypertension aren’t well managed.

Our services to support your pregnancy with diabetes

Having diabetes while pregnant brings another layer of questions and concerns to your pregnancy. The sooner we stabilize glucose levels, the lower the risks become to both you and your baby. To accomplish this, we tackle issues from several different sides, always tailoring your care to your individual situation. Highlights of our program include:

The Diabetes in Pregnancy Program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center uses the most effective methods for detecting and treating diabetes. Depending on your health needs, we may recommend:

• Glucose test: Also known as a glucose challenge or tolerance test, this screens for gestational diabetes, usually between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy.
• Regular glucose reviews: This may include the use of continuous glucose monitors. A physician will review your glucose monitoring log to start or adjust medication as needed. If you need to begin taking insulin or another oral diabetes medication, you’ll learn how during a one-on-one education session with our diabetes nurse.
• Ultrasound: A level 2 (targeted anatomy) ultrasound is done at 18-20 weeks to check for possible abnormalities and birth defects, such as cardiac malformations and other structural defects that can be related to your diabetes.
• Fetal echocardiogram: This in-office screening late in the second trimester is done by a pediatric cardiologist. It checks the structure and function of the baby’s heart before birth and for the presence of heart defects.
• Insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring sensors: Our team is comfortable managing diabetes in pregnancy with continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps. These advanced technologies allow continuous insulin doses and they deliver accurate, timely glucose measurements so we can quickly identify issues and adjust our approach.
• Postdelivery glucose testing and postpartum diabetes care: Expectant women with gestational diabetes are seven times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life. We can test for it six to 12 weeks after delivery and refer you to an endocrinologist as needed.

What to expect with diabetes in pregnancy care

Most people continue prenatal appointments with their regular Ob/Gyn or midwife, while Ohio State’s Maternal Fetal Medicine experts manage their diabetes and any related medical conditions including hypertension, thyroid conditions and diseases of the eyes, heart and kidneys.

Though each person’s experience with the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program will be different and personalized to their unique needs, here are some aspects of the program you can expect:

• You’ll send a weekly glucose monitoring log to Ohio State Maternal Fetal Medicine so we can review results and recommend any needed adjustments to medication or management in real time. Newer technologies, like continuous glucose monitoring, let us remotely access data in real time.
• About every four weeks, we schedule an in-person appointment for an ultrasound and comprehensive checkup with our team.
• As the baby’s due date approaches, we’ll discuss with you and your primary Ob/Gyn provider whether delivery should be planned at Ohio State or if it’s considered safe to deliver closer to home at a local hospital.
• Every aspect of your care throughout pregnancy will be shared between your regular Ob/Gyn provider and our program, so everyone will know of any changes in your health.
• We aim to transition postpartum care seamlessly back to a primary care provider or endocrinologist based on your preferences.

Whenever our partnership starts, we have the information and resources you need to better manage your own health. More control leads to less worry, allowing you to enjoy the journey of pregnancy.

How to make an appointment with the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program

If you’re a new patient to us, please talk to your primary care provider or primary obstetrician about a referral to our service. Also, you can call the main outpatient number at 614-293-2222 to request an appointment with the Diabetes in Pregnancy Program.

For current patients, contact information for questions and blood sugar reporting:

McCampbell Outpatient Care
OSUbloodsugar@osumc.edu
Diabetes number: 614-293-4887
Main number: 614-293-8045

Outpatient Care East
MFMdiabeticeducation@osumc.edu
Main number: 614-293-2222

Outpatient Care Upper Arlington
MFMdiabeticeducation@osumc.edu
Diabetes number: 614-293-4877
Main number: 614-293-2222

Why choose Ohio State for your diabetes in pregnancy support?

At the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, you’ll have an entire team of high-risk pregnancy specialists and endocrinology experts supporting you. Our Diabetes in Pregnancy Program cares for more than 800 people each year, and here are some reasons why they choose us:

• Interdisciplinary, coordinated care – Our clinic provides ongoing prenatal care, co-manages care with other physicians, endocrinologists and midwives and is available for consultations for people from central Ohio or across the state.
• Unparalleled expertise in high-risk pregnancy care – If you know you have a high-risk pregnancy, or if an emergency arises during labor and delivery, our expert team is ready, as the only Level IV Maternity Center in central Ohio. We’re equipped to care for the most complex conditions during pregnancy and to manage urgent situations.
• Stunning new Maternity Center – From floor-to-ceiling windows that fill each private room with natural light, to thoughtfully designed furniture and convenience features, like ordering coffee from your phone, every detail of our new University Hospital is designed to be restorative and healing.
• Research and innovation – Our researchers continually conduct new clinical trials to improve outcomes, and you’ll benefit from our leading-edge research. As a major recipient of funding for diabetes research in pregnancy from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Ohio State leads some of the largest clinical trials focused on diabetes management in pregnancy.

Lisa Buccilla, RN
I’ve been with Ohio State Maternal Fetal Medicine for the last 13 years. I’m passionate and dedicated to providing quality care for each of my patients and their families, all while remaining mindful of their individual preferences and needs.

Bridget Iadicicco, RN
I started my nursing career as a Labor and Delivery nurse on a very busy unit in Pittsburgh, which laid the foundation of my love for Obstetrics. I enjoyed helping families through some of the most challenging and crucial times of their lives. I left bedside nursing to pursue community health/home care in Obstetrics. It was through that time that I found my passion for teaching.

Melissa Rainier, RN
My career began as a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit. I joined the Ohio State Maternal Fetal Medicine team in 2020, and the best part of my job is helping women optimize their health and the health of their baby, during pregnancy and beyond.

Julie Somppi, RN
As a diabetes nurse specializing in diabetes education in pregnancy, I collaborate with our physicians to help achieve the best possible outcomes for moms and babies. I work with a team that helps patients manage their blood sugar during pregnancy. I enjoy helping patients learn to manage blood sugar in order to prevent potential complications during pregnancy and delivery.

Brenda Widmayer, RN
I became interested in becoming a diabetes nurse educator on the Maternal Fetal Medicine team after I experienced gestational diabetes in my second pregnancy. I’m passionate about reducing the lifetime complications associated with diabetes and about lowering our patients’ risks for developing type 2 diabetes during their life.

Dedicated Program Nurse

Kori Fenner, MHI, BSN, RN, OCN
I am the Nurse Manager for Maternal Fetal Medicine, and I’m passionate about supporting our nurses so they can provide high-quality care that results in the best possible patient outcomes. Our nurses are enthusiastic about, and committed to staying abreast of, the current research and technology that guides our management of diabetes in pregnancy.