Case study: 'I'd like a normal birth, but it might not be an option'

Published on Sunday 30 January 2011 17:43

DEBI Harris knows the difficulties of trying to control diabetes while also dealing with pregnancy.

The 26-year-old's first child, Jacob, was born by Caesarean section 37 weeks into her pregnancy in 2009 after doctors discovered her placenta had stopped working.

Now 17 weeks pregnant with her second baby, Ms Harris welcomed the prospect of having an artificial pancreas to help women with diabetes.

"Right at the beginning of my pregnancy, because of morning sickness, I found it difficult to give myself insulin if I wasn't eating anything and keeping anything down," she said.

"That's when it started getting a little out of hand and started to get difficult."

Towards the end of her pregnancy, Ms Harris, from Airdrie, started showing more serious symptoms of her diabetes, collapsing as she battled to control her blood sugar levels.

"The doctor advised me that they thought that was a sign my placenta was no longer working," she said.

"I then had to have steroid injections to give the baby a better chance of being born healthy, and I took those for two days before the Caesarean."

Jacob, now 18 months, was born healthy and Ms Harris was able to start dealing with her diabetes.

"I'm now 17 weeks pregnant, and so far I have had no sickness at all," she said. "I have had to increase my insulin, which is the norm in pregnancy. My control of my diabetes has become much tighter.

"This time I would like a normal birth, but I have been told that it might not be an option."