How Diabetes Affects Pregnancy

July 13, 2023Health

Diabetes can cause problems during pregnancy for women and their developing babies. Poor control of diabetes during pregnancy increases the chances for birth defects and other problems for the pregnancy. It can also cause serious complications for the woman. Proper health care before and during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects and other health problems.

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot use the sugars and starches (carbohydrates) it takes in as food to make energy. The body either makes no insulin or too little insulin or cannot use the insulin it makes to change those

The three most common types of diabetes are:

Type 1: The pancreas makes no insulin or so little insulin that the body can’t use blood sugar for energy. Type 1 diabetes must be controlled with daily insulin.

Type 2: The body either makes too little insulin or can’t use the insulin it makes to use blood sugar for energy. Sometimes type 2 diabetes can be controlled through eating a proper diet and exercising regularly. Many people with type 2 diabetes have to take diabetes pills, insulin, or both.

Gestational: This is a type of diabetes that is first seen in a pregnant woman who did not have diabetes before she was pregnant. Often gestational diabetes can be controlled through eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Sometimes a woman with gestational diabetes must also take insulin.

Typically hypoglycemia is treated by eating or drinking something containing sugar, such as orange juice. Hyperglycemia is when your body doesn’t have enough insulin or can’t use insulin correctly.

You may be experiencing this if you are; Always thirsty, suddenly losing weight or using the bathroom often.

Hyperglycemia can be triggered by; Improper balance in your food consumption, problems with the amount of insulin you are taking, stress, sickness and lack of physical movement.

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Typically hyperglycemia is treated by adjusting your insulin dosages.

Research shows that diabetes can lead to reduced sperm quality but diabetes as such does not appear to affect motility of sperm (the ability of the sperm to move towards the egg) or cause infertility as a result.

Whilst diabetes needn’t present fertility problems, there are some conditions related to male infertility which are more likely, particularly in diabetes that has either not been well controlled or has been present for many years.

What are these conditions are as well as the treatment options that are available?

A number of issues can cause infertility in men.

These include: Erectile dysfunction; Retarded ejaculation (delayed ejaculation); Retrograde ejaculation; Reduced sperm quality and Hypogonadism (low testosterone)

Erectile dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common problem associated with diabetes that causes difficulty with getting or maintaining an erection. It is caused by neuropathy (nerve damage) and reduced blood circulation typically as a result of less well controlled diabetes or long standing diabetes.

High levels of blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol are all associated with an increased risk of erectile difficulties. Getting these under control, as well as cutting down on alcohol and quitting smoking can help to reduce the effects of ED. A number of different treatment options are also available.

Link Between Diabetes And pregnancy

Diabetes is a serious disease in which your body cannot properly control the amount of sugar in your blood because it does not have enough insulin. Diabetes is the most common medical complication during pregnancy, representing 3.3 per cent of all live births. No matter what type of diabetes you have, there are many steps you and your health care team can take in order to have a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Causes and symptoms of diabetes

There are two primary types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that requires daily use of insulin.

Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes may include; Increased thirst and urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision and extreme fatigue. The disease is often diagnosed in childhood and in young adults.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes. The symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include; Bladder or kidney infections that heal slowly, increased thirst and urination, constant hunger and fatigue. This form of diabetes is often associated with older age, obesity, family history, previous history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity and it can be more prevalent in certain ethnic groups.

How is preexisting diabetes treated during pregnancy?

Whether you are trying to conceive or  already pregnant,