INTERACTIVE CLINICAL TOOL · VERSION 2.0
Pregnancy insulin
initiation calculator.
A starting estimate, with the assumptions in view. Review the glucose pattern, regimen, and individual circumstances before prescribing.
01 / ENTER PARAMETERS
Build the estimate
02 / REVIEW THE CALCULATION
Starting estimate
Enter the parameters to see the estimate and dose allocation.
| Component | Units |
|---|---|
| Basal · total per day | |
| Breakfast bolus | |
| Lunch bolus | |
| Dinner bolus | |
| Total mealtime insulin |
Basal starts near 50% of the total; the remaining dose is distributed as evenly as the increment permits. Remainder increments go to breakfast, then lunch. This is an arithmetic allocation, not a glucose-pattern-based meal prescription.
Choose the insulin preparation, basal timing, meal doses, monitoring, and follow-up individually. This table does not specify an injection schedule or a correction dose.
03 / SCOPE & EVIDENCE
Know what the estimate assumes
One starting-dose model
This tool retains the original calculator’s 0.7 / 0.8 / 0.9 units/kg/day factors. The MEMS 2024 guide lists these trimester-based factors; ADA 2026 supports individualized insulin management, not this exact calculator or a universal 50/50 split.
| Gestational age | Units/kg/day |
|---|---|
| 1w0d–13w6d | 0.7 |
| 14w0d–27w6d | 0.8 |
| 28w0d–42w0d | 0.9 |
The exact day boundaries, current-weight basis, 50/50 allocation, and rounding policy are implementation choices reviewed for this release. This simplified model has no separate late-third-trimester increase.
Outside this tool’s scope
Preexisting type 1 or type 2 diabetes; an existing insulin regimen; pump settings; correction doses; isolated fasting or isolated postmeal treatment; intrapartum or postpartum dosing; acute illness or ketosis; steroid-related changes; significant renal impairment; and recurrent hypoglycemia require an individualized approach.
Supported input range: 1w0d–42w0d and 30–200 kg. These are software limits, not physiological safety thresholds. Glucose readings, meal carbohydrate intake, and insulin sensitivity are not evaluated.
Transparent rounding
Calculate with full precision, round the total to the selected increment, then allocate that total in integer increments. Halfway totals round upward; an odd increment in the basal–bolus split goes to basal. All displayed doses sum to the rounded total.
Sources and review status
- ADA. Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026. Current guidance for individualized care, glucose monitoring, and frequent insulin adjustment.
- MEMS. Practical Guide to Insulin Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, 2nd edition (2024), pregnancy section. Source for the trimester-factor table; not validation of this application.
Source check: November 4, 2026. Clinical reviewer: Chukwuma Onyeije, MD. Validation confirmed November 4, 2026. No patient identifiers are requested. This page sends no calculation inputs to a server and does not save them to browser storage.