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Jessica’s pregnancy journey with myLoop

    • Stories written by life
    Jessica takes us through her 2-year journey until getting pregnant

    The planning

    The first time Jessica was faced with the topic of a future pregnancy came very unexpectedly to her. When she and her partner nodded at the question of starting a family in the future, her endocrinologist replied with assertiveness "then we must begin".

    In the video interview, Jessica takes us through her 2-year journey until getting pregnant. Joined by Dr. Visalli, a renowned diabetologist and expert in type 1 diabetes and pregnancy, the two women have an open and sometimes emotional discussion about what it entails to plan a pregnancy for those living with type 1 diabetes.

    Jessica’s experience: a journey of re-discovery

    Just picturing motherhood evokes many emotions. In Jessica’s experience, surrounding yourself with a supporting team will help manage the fears: of not being good enough, of failing to become a parent, of hurting your future baby.

    Starting all over is how Jessica defines transitioning from multiple daily injections (MDI) to a pump and eventually to an Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) system. "I chose myLoop in anticipation of a future pregnancy".

    Like any major change to diabetes management, Jessica needed some time to "let go" and trust the algorithm.

    ‘‘I had to learn to understand and adapt something foreign to my body. The first few months, I won't deny it, were more difficult.’’

    The endocrinologist perspective: Dr. Visalli

    Dr. Visalli speaks about the importance of finding the right healthcare team that will accompany the woman in this journey. As a diabetologist, Dr. Visalli feels responsible for starting a conversation with the woman early on and build a collaborative relationship throughout the process.

    ‘‘To prepare a safe nest you need to be sure that it is the right branch on which you can build that nest.’’

    Dr. Visalli also explains why glucose variability is at least as important as an HbA1c within the pre-pregnancy range, and how to work together to achieve optimal glycaemic management.

    In the video, the two women also discuss the results of a survey about pregnancy planning that Jessica conducted with 109 women living with type 1 diabetes.

    If you ever wondered how planning for pregnancy might look, watch the conversation between Jessica and Dr. Visalli.

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