Pregnancy

According to some studies, pregnant women, particularly those in the second or third trimester, may have A1C levels that are unreasonably low. Red blood cell lifespan changes during pregnancy may have an impact on A1C results. During your pregnancy, your blood sugar and A1C goals may change. Discuss your personal goals with your doctor, as well as any necessary modifications to your current course of treatment.

Another helpful piece of information, your risk of having a child with a malformation like a heart, kidney, brain, or spinal cord defect increases if your A1C is 10% or greater. But if you control your blood glucose (also called blood sugar) before getting pregnant, things change. Your risk of giving birth to a child with a birth defect is the same as that of a woman without diabetes if your A1C is 6.5 percent or below.