Endocrinology, Diabetes & Pregnancy

Endocrinology, diabetes and pregnancy care at UCSF Health

Our specialized team helps you understand how an endocrine disorder and pregnancy affect each other. We provide personalized care and treatments to support the best possible outcomes for you and your baby.

We offer preconception, prenatal and postpartum care for people with all types of diabetes, including:

• Type 1

• Type 2

• Monogenic

Our specialists also see pregnant people with conditions affecting the thyroid, adrenal and pituitary glands.

Preconception consultation

If you have an endocrine condition, such as diabetes, you may be wondering if you can have a healthy pregnancy. During an in-depth preconception consultation, which typically lasts an hour, our maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists review your health history and address your concerns.

We discuss how an endocrine condition may affect your health and the health of your baby, and how pregnancy may affect your endocrine condition. Together, we help you understand what to expect, so you can make a confident and informed decision.

Prenatal care

Depending on your condition and health history, you may see us once during your pregnancy, or we may provide all your prenatal care. You and your referring provider decide which approach is right for you.

Combined expertise

During your prenatal visits, you see an endocrinologist and MFM specialist in the same room. This unique team approach provides seamless, integrated care to support your health throughout pregnancy.

Advanced scans and monitoring

People with an endocrine condition carry high-risk pregnancies. In addition to routine prenatal ultrasounds and testing, we may recommend additional monitoring, including:

• Early anatomy evaluation (as early as 12 to 13 weeks of pregnancy)

• Fetal echocardiogram

• Monthly ultrasounds (third trimester)

• Antenatal testing (third trimester)

We also monitor your glucose levels and blood pressure, adjusting your care plan as needed.

Data-informed care

As a technology-forward program, we integrate your health data to provide personalized care. With your permission, we sync data to your health records from your:

• Continuous glucose monitor

• Insulin pump

• Automated insulin delivery systems

• Activity tracker

• Food log

Nutritional counseling

Nutrition plays an essential role in managing diabetes in pregnancy. Our registered dietitians (RDs) offer personalized education and counseling, helping you develop a nutritious eating plan during pregnancy.

Postpartum follow-up

If our team provided all your prenatal care, we see you after you deliver your baby, typically at two weeks and six weeks postpartum. At your follow-up appointments, we make sure you're recovering well and answer any questions you have.