For a pregnant patient with diabetes, what is a common target fasting blood glucose during pregnancy to reduce fetal risk?

• A. 95 mg/dL or lower
• B. 110 mg/dL or lower
• C. 70 mg/dL or lower
• D. 120 mg/dL or lower

Answer: (D)

Maintaining maternal glucose in the normal range during pregnancy helps prevent the fetus from being exposed to high glucose levels, which drives fetal insulin production and can lead to overgrowth and other risks. Fasting glucose reflects overnight basal control, so keeping it within a safe threshold helps reduce fetal exposure to hyperglycemia during the longest gaps between meals. A common target fasting glucose to reduce fetal risk is to keep it at 120 mg/dL or lower, because this threshold provides a practical balance between lowering fetal risk and avoiding maternal hypoglycemia. Values that are too low can cause hypoglycemia for the mother, while very lax targets offer less protection to the fetus.