Laboratory tests in primary care · by Dr Solange Déplanque and Dr Michaël Rochoy

Diabetes (type 1 or 2) and pregnancy planning

Gynaecology and obstetrics · Prevention, screening, pregnancy · updated 2026-10-30

BioMG follows French guidelines. Adapt it to the guidelines and the tests available where you practise.

Frequency: Type 1 diabetes in 0.2% and type 2 diabetes in 0.3% of women who gave birth in France in 2021 ^[1]

Pregnancy planning: preconception tests

Laboratory tests

HbA1c
Serum creatinine with GFR
Lipid profile
TSH (type 1 diabetes)if neededType 1 diabetes: a risk factor for autoimmune thyroid dysfunction, which justifies a TSH before conception ^[1].

Urine tests on a spot sample

Urine albumin:creatinine ratio
Not a laboratory test: fundoscopy, cardiovascular examination and resting ECG, blood pressure, smoking, questioning for sleep apnoea (type 2 diabetes, or type 1 with obesity).

Detailed explanation and international comparison (in French): read it in English (machine translation)

Ongoing pregnancy (pre-existing diabetes)

From the 1st trimester (if not done before pregnancy)

HbA1c
Serum creatinine with GFR
Urine albumin:creatinine ratio
TSH (type 1 diabetes)if neededType 1 diabetes: TSH recommended in the initial tests, to be done in early pregnancy if not done before ^[1].
Urine microscopy and culture (at the 1st visit, then every month from the 4th month, in place of the urine dipstick)

Then every month in case of diabetic nephropathy

Serum creatinine with GFR
Urine albumin:creatinine ratio
Regular follow-up by a diabetologist and monthly follow-up by an obstetrician-gynaecologist linked to a maternity unit from the 1st trimester; fundoscopy every trimester.

Detailed explanation and international comparison (in French): read it in English (machine translation)

Sources (5)