A period of time as important as pregnancy is influenced by a multitude of factors, which can be both internal as well as external and as such, play a leading role in the sequence of events as they unravel. Essential questions such as those which deal with our general health and eating habits are paramount and it is for this reason, that certain pathologies although closely monitored and kept at bay, by the general public in their day to day lives, need a specific control. This is the case of diabetes during pregnancy.
As with any other illness which is chronic, diabetes should be closely monitored during pregnancy. In order to achieve this, the only feasible way is by constant medical supervision: it is highly recommended to undergo endocrinological and gynecological evaluations to guarantee optimum healthiness providing for an ideal environment in which the pregnancy can develop.
This pathology which affects our metabolism occurs when the pancreas is incapable of producing sufficient insulin to regulate excessive levels of glucose in our blood. In itself, it is not an impediment to our fertility, neither naturally nor by means of an assisted reproduction method: the success rates are of couples composed of diabetic people and of those who are not.
However, for those people who have to face diabetes in their pregnancy, it is important to follow the necessary controls. Glucose levels that are too high can inhibit the production of essential hormones needed for female fertility, such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.
For this reason, insulin is a great ally during this period, as any hormonal change produced by diabetes can mean an alteration to the menstrual cycles, leading to lateness or a complete absence of the period, provoking in some cases premature menopause.
The only problem of diabetes during pregnancy is the risk of it not being controlled. Diabetes which is under control provides peace of mind: it won’t affect fertility unless the woman suffers other illnesses or parallel complications, such as obesity, which accentuates the problems generated by the pathology.
Obesity and diabetes during pregnancy
When diabetes is accompanied by excessive weight, reaching obesity levels, the complications are multiplied. Resistance to insulin can alter the ovulatory process, in addition to forming part of the polycystic ovary syndrome and can ultimately reduce a woman’s options of becoming pregnant.
However, this is not a question which only affects women nor only the pregnancy process. Diabetes can also affect a man’s ability to form a family: a badly controlled pathology will give way to testicular damage, resulting in a decrease in the sperm’s quantity and quality, and disorders in ejaculation and even erectile dysfunction.
When it comes to evaluating the potential implications during the pregnancy, apart from everything already said, it is worth considering the possible incompatibilities which exist between the pregnancy and the antidiabetic medicine. It is, therefore, necessary to visit an Endocrinologist and Gynaecologist so that specialists can carry out all the necessary tests and evaluate the conditions which are needed to guarantee success.
