Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting your body's ability to metabolize sugar, also known as glucose. Untreated, diabetes causes heart and blood vessel disease; nerve, kidney, eye and foot damage; skin problems; gum infections and osteoporosis. It may also increase the potential for developing Alzheimer disease.
According to the National Diabetes Information Clearing House, nearly 24 million people, almost eight percent of the population, have diabetes. Diabetes is more common in certain ethnic groups including African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. In addition, the risk of diabetes increases with age.
More than 10 percent of all women, 20-years-old and older have diabetes. Similarly, slightly more than 11 percent of men have diabetes. Diabetic symptoms affecting women similarly to men include excessive thirst, hunger, weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision, tingling in feet and hands, dry skin and acanthosis nigricans, areas of darkened skin. However, women with diabetes face additional challenges.
Depression
Women with diabetes are at a higher risk for depression than women without diabetes. Factors include hormonal issues such as menstruation, miscarriage, pregnancy and menopause. In addition, the American Diabetes Association suggests that some woman may be prone to depression after receiving a diagnosis of diabetes.
Menstrual Cycle
Blood sugar levels vary as hormone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle. When your body's estrogen levels are high, your body may reject insulin or be resistant to its own insulin. In addition, women with diabetes may have increased PMS symptoms, along with increased food cravings.
Birth Control
Your blood glucose levels may increase if you are on birth control pills. In addition, using birth control for more than a year or two may create increased risk of complications. For example, high blood pressure that may develop while on the pill increases the chance that kidney or eye disease will worsen.
Gestational Diabetes
Approximately four percent of pregnant women, with no previous symptoms of diabetes, develop gestational diabetes in late stages of pregnancy. As the baby grows in the placenta, insulin resistance may occur making it difficult for the mother's body to use insulin. Gestational diabetes is treatable and has no lasting effects on mother or child.
Pregnancy Issues
Diabetic women may face additional risks for their babies including an increased potential for under- or over-weight babies at birth, birth defects and other health problems.
Diabetes Medications
Thiazolidinediones (TZDs), a type of diabetes medication, may affect ovulation, causing women who are not ovulating but who haven't gone through menopause, to begin ovulating again. In addition, oral contraceptives may be less effective when women also take TZDs.
Sexual Issues
Women with diabetes may have a lack of interest in sex. In addition, they may have decreased vaginal lubrication and discomfort during intercourse.
Infections
Diabetes reduces the body's ability to heal and fight off infections. The result is an increase in infections and sores or scratches that heal slowly. In addition, women with diabetes tend to undergo recurrent yeast infections.
Heart Disease
For women with diabetes, heart disease is the leading cause of death. Woman with diabetes are twice as likely to have a second heart attack and four times more likely to undergo heart failure than women without diabetes. In addition, heart disease risks are higher, with the outcomes often more severe, than for women without diabetes.
