Insulin pumps and pregnancy

Insulin pumps can make it easier to keep your diabetes better managed during pregnancy.

You may already use an insulin pump or you may not. Find out what you could do in either of these cases if you’re pregnant or planning pregnancy:

If you use an insulin pump

If you already use an insulin pump it is recommended that you make a duplicate basal profile (to go back to after your pregnancy) then you can make the changes required as your pregnancy progresses. You should expect to need to change both your basal profile and your insulin:carbohydrate ratios, often with a reduction at the beginning of pregnancy and a significant increase by the end.

If you don’t use an insulin pump

Insulin pumps can make it easier to manage the frequent changes needed to achieve good glucose levels. However, there is a lot to learn when starting insulin pump therapy, so it is not common for women to switch to a pump if they are already pregnant. You may want to consider making the transition to a pump if you are planning pregnancy, and your diabetes team will be happy to talk to you about this.

Go to ‘Pregnancy’ to return to the main topic page, or choose another section.

Managing healthy glucose
levels for pregnancy

Medications, folic acid
and vitamins

Ketone monitoring
and glucagon

Insulin pumps
and pregnancy

Stages of
pregnancy

lizcainen

August 18, 2025 at 4:22 pm

I am planning a pregnancy and contacted my diabetes team over a year ago for support.They refuse to let me have an insulin pump until I am already pregnant, one nurse stated “you won’t even get one in your first trimester”. Apparently this is common practice, despite the BERTIE advice above that ‘there is a lot to learn when starting insulin pump therapy, so it is not common for women to switch to a pump if they are already pregnant’. I find this extremely concerning and worry about the risks involved simply to keep NHS costs at a minimum for diabetes care.