Sweet Success

Improving the Outcomes of Pregnant Women With Diabetes

Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center’s Sweet Success Program has been a California Diabetes and Pregnancy Program (CDAPP) affiliate for more than 20 years. Our Premier Family Medicine Physicians support pregnant women with pre-existing type 1 and type 2 diabetes and women who develop diabetes while pregnant, a condition called gestational diabetes. You will be referred to the program if:

• you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and want to become pregnant
• you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are already pregnant
• you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes during your pregnancy

Pregnancy and Diabetes

Diabetes is the most common metabolic complication of pregnancy, affecting approximately 200,000 pregnancies in the United States each year. What’s more, approximately 50% of women who develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy will develop type 2 diabetes within 5-10 years. Many ethnic populations (e.g., Hispanic, African American, and Native American) have a higher risk of gestational and type 2 diabetes. Pregnant with pre-existing or gestational diabetes have an increased risk of several complications, including:

• Brain, spine, and heart defects in the developing baby
• Macrosomia (excessive birth weight)
• Preeclampsia (high blood pressure)
• Early (preterm) labor and delivery
• Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• Miscarriage or stillbirth
• Type 2 diabetes later in life
• Childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes for children

Supporting Pregnant Women With Diabetes

With proper management, women with pre-existing type 1 or type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes can have healthy pregnancies and optimal outcomes. Our physicians are specially trained in best practices for improving outcomes for high-risk pregnant women who have diabetes through nutrition education, dietary counseling, blood glucose monitoring, insulin education, and disease prevention throughout their pregnancy. 

Women can be enrolled in the Sweet Success Program throughout their entire pregnancy and up to six weeks after delivery. The Sweet Success Program at PVHC includes the following women’s health services before, during, and up to six weeks after pregnancy:

• Support and education before pregnancy for self-management techniques
• Support and education for pre-existing diabetes and gestational diabetes
• Risk assessment of maternal diabetes on fetal development (includes neonatal care)
• Pre-exercise evaluation and exercise recommendations
• Nutrition therapy and guidance to support proper blood sugar levels
• Nutrition guidance for breastfeeding after gestational diabetes
• Nutrition guidance for breastfeeding with medications (e.g., insulin)