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Effects of Diabetes on Women

Diabetes is a disease that must be controlled carefully. For women, it can cause sexual problems; depression and anxiety; pregnancy complications; gastroparesis (slow stomach emptying); and polycystic ovarian syndrome, which can impact fertility.

  1. Significance

    • According to the American Diabetes Association, 11.5 million U.S. women 20 and older are diabetic, but 25 percent of them do not know it.

    Types

    • Type 1 diabetes affects young people and is diagnosed when the body does not produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes causes adult's body to not produce enough insulin or react to it properly. Gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy, when hormones from the placenta block the body's access to insulin.

    Identification

    • Doctors use three tests to diagnose diabetes---the fasting plasma glucose, the oral glucose tolerance test and the random plasma glucose test---to determine if blood sugar levels are within normal range.

    Prevention/Solution

    • The Diabetes Prevention Program study on pre-diabetics concluded that they can drastically reduce their risk of developing diabetes by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight and exercising regularly, reports the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.

    Warning

    • Undiagnosed or under-treated diabetes can lead to chronic complications, including eye problems, heart failure, and kidney and nerve damage.

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