Benefits of Using a Dexcom G7 CGM During Pregnancy
Over 130 million women give birth each year and for women with type 2 diabetes (T2D), while the risks and challenges are of course magnified, the reality is that you can successfully navigate the before and after phases of pregnancy—it just requires a solid game plan, an incredible team and the right tools!
So what tools are available to help you reach what might feel like impossible goals? Beyond Type 2 spoke with Dexcom’s chief operating officer Jake Leach, who shared the latest research on Dexcom’s G7 continuous glucose monitor (CGM) use during pregnancy.
Pregnancy + T2D
Whether you’re in the planning phase or just found out you’re pregnant, managing your blood sugar levels is one of the most important goals in diabetes management during pregnancy.
The target range for blood sugar levels during pregnancy is much tighter than the standard 70-180mg/dL, making it difficult for some to adjust their management plans. Target ranges are adjusted to minimize complications such as preeclampsia, premature delivery or even miscarriages.
What is a CGM?
A CGM is a small wearable device that tracks your blood glucose levels in real-time throughout the day and night. CGMs measure the glucose (sugar) in the interstitial fluid of your body fat compared to your blood glucose monitor (BGM) which measures the glucose in your blood.
CGMs can help you make more thoughtful decisions around food, exercise and medications—like insulin. The insights you gain from using a CGM can improve your safety and help you reach your A1C and time-in-range goals.
Dexcom’s G7 CGM is their smallest CGM to date. Some of its features include:
- The G7 is 60 percent smaller than the G6, with an all-in-one sensor and transmitter.
- The warm-up period has been cut down from two hours to 30 minutes.
- Now with a 12-hour grace period to replace finished sensors for a more seamless transition between sessions
The Dexcom G7 is now the only commercially available CGM system with a clinical study demonstrating that real-time CGM is accurate for use during pregnancy for people with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.
Using a CGM during pregnancy
Dexcom recently presented results from their pregnancy study at the 59th Annual European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting in Hamburg. The study was conducted in the US and was the first study to show the performance of their G7 sensor in women who are pregnant.
“We have lots of CGM performance data that we’ve shown over the years, but this is the first time in pregnancy. One in 10 pregnancies in the US are impacted by diabetes, particularly gestational, and so a CGM is a great tool to help expecting mothers manage their diabetes during and then potentially after pregnancy” Leach stated.
With a CGM, there’s potentially better ways to help inform both the mother and her physician about their diabetes management plan and how it might need to change throughout pregnancy.
Access + affordability for pregnancy
The great news is that Dexcom G7 is approved for use of pregnancy, so there’s a number of ways that people can access it. The most important thing is for physicians who are treating expectant mothers with diabetes to start including a CGM into treatment plans during pregnancy.
Leach said “I think that we’re going to see continued access of CGM for people who are pregnant in the future. I think for anyone who either has diabetes pre-pregnancy or gestational diabetes during pregnancy, a CGM should be the standard of care for managing diabetes.”
Because everyone’s diabetes is different and every pregnancy is too, there’s nothing better than having tools like a CGM to know what your glucose levels are at and how it changes during pregnancy.
If you’re expecting or are already pregnant, talk to your doctor about adding a Dexcom G7 to your pregnancy toolkit!
