Women and Diabetes

Diabetes is a unique condition for women. Women with diabetes have 50 percent greater risk of diabetic coma than men, a condition brought on by poorly controlled diabetes and lack of insulin. Women with diabetes have heart disease rates similar to men, but more women with diabetes die from first heart attack than do men with diabetes. According to studies in 2006 in America, 7.7% of women with diabetes experienced congestive heart failure compared to 0.9% of those with normal blood sugar levels. The prevalence of chest pain, heart attack, and coronary heart disease were all 4 to 5% higher in women with diabetes than in women without, and 6.3% of women with diabetes suffered stroke compared to 2.1% of women with normal blood sugar levels.

Diabetes poses special challenges during pregnancy. Compared with women who do not have diabetes, women with diabetes are up to five times likely to develop toxemia, a disorder marked by hypertension, protein in the urine, swelling, headache, and visual disturbances. Diabetes during pregnancy ( gestational and type 1diabetes) results in risk for problems such as high birth weight, birth defects, and other complications for the mother. Children born of mothers who developed gestational diabetes are more likely to be overweight or obese during adolescence and therefore are at greater risk for diabetes as well. Women who have had gestational diabetes are at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes later.

Birth control pills can affect blood glucose levels and diabetes control. Because women with diabetes are already at higher risk of infection, most women with diabetes should not use an intrauterine device because it may lead to infections.