Diabetic men may take longer to bring about conception in their wives, who may also be prone to a higher incidence of miscarriage, explains Dr Anubha Singh
Today, millions of people are suffering due to diabetes. In the past four years, the number of diabetes sufferers has gone up by 30 per cent. According to a recent report by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), India continues to be the diabetes capital of the world, and by 2030, nearly 9 per cent of the country’s population is likely to be affected by this disease. India accounts for the largest number of people — 50.8 million — suffering from diabetes in the world.
Diabetes is a chronic disease caused when either the pancreas do not produce enough insulin or the cells in the body do not respond properly to the insulin. There are three types of diabetes — Type 1 corresponds to first condition and Type 2 corresponds to the second condition, and gestational diabetes occurs during pregnancy.
This disease is quite dangerous as it gives rise to many other diseases in your body. One of them would be infertility. Diabetes can directly affect the fertility in human body. Chances of infertility in diabetic men are higher as compared to infertility in diabetic women. Diabetic men may take a longer time to bring about conception in their wives, who may also be prone to a higher incidence of miscarriage.
Diabetes causes oxidative stress which damages the DNA of the sperm. Fragmented or damaged DNA further causes natural death of the cells, making it difficult for men to make their wives pregnant. On the other hand, if you are pregnant with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, you might have higher chances of abortion or miscarriage. Babies of mother with gestational diabetes are more likely to be stillborn or may remain malnourished.
Diabetes can be managed through lifestyle modifications, including a healthy diet and regular exercise. It is best to keep the disease in check before it wreaks havoc in your life.
look for these warning signs:
Do seek medical advice if you notice the above mentioned signs before they can turn into serious complications.
The writer is a Gynecologist and IVF Specialist at Shantah IVF Centre